4. Talking Points
- Can they go again?: One off two things can happen following a Grand Final loss. Either the team bands together and uses it as motivation the next year, or the team completely falls off a cliff. Its fair to say that the Panthers shocked everyone in 2020 in running away with the Minor Premiership. Can they match that level of consistency and form again this year? Opposition coaches would have dedicated many hours in coming up with a plan on how to shut down the Panthers for this upcoming season. An off-season can be a long time in Rugby League. They looked good against the Eels in the trial so that's a plus.
- Distractions put to the side: The Panthers have been quick to re-sign megastars in the making Stephen Chrichton and Jarome Luai. Both players would have been targeted by the majority of other sides, with Crichton especially expected to attract bids from multiple clubs. The last thing a side needs is a host of their stars being linked elsewhere on a weekly basis. Isaah Yeo also secured his future at the foot of the mountains after a career best year that saw him represent the Blues. Edwards, Martin, Staines and To'o have also extended their stays. Incredible work by the club.
- The Bench: I've looked at four different predictions for the Panthers round one team and all four are different. May and Momirovski seem to split opinion on who should start at centre, while Naden appears on two benches, one in the centres and one not at all. Capewell and Martin split run on duties, with NRL.com not even having Martin in the 17. It's anyone's guess to how Cleary will name his side in round one. The bench looks strong with May, Martin/Capewell and Leniu likely to fill three spots. The fact they likely can't fit Burton and Sorenson in there at all says a lot about their depth. Once again though, is Matt Eisenhuth the man to fill in the fourth prop position?
