What to do about a problem like Penrith?

We're lucky to have come up against them early in the season.

We know what level we're going to have to aim for.
 
We're at the stage where other teams (including ours) are probably stepping into the contest already worried about the outcome.
Not simply how do we win, rather how do we avoid a hiding?
Teams playing with fear against a team playing with confidence isn't a good recipe for success.

How do we stop them? The NRL could knee-jerk a rule change mid-season or for 2027 in an attempt to even the playing field.... like forcing Penrith to play with their shoes on the wrong feet.

But seriously, as long as Cleary, Yeo and Edwards are in their prime, I see no change whatsoever.
A premiership is a foregone conclusion. Any loss is a David v Goliath miracle upset (even if your name is Melbourne or Brisbane).
 
Wilson said:
It starts with the best coach and player in the competition.

They are also incredibly consistent with their roster too. We are spoken about (and criticised) for not signing anyone, but Penrith are the same. It’s actually a benefit, especially earlier in the season.

Having the best coach instilling the best program, led by the best player in the competition in the most important position, to a consistent group of players over an elongated period of time - this is your result.

It’s also very helpful they have a top 5 fullback, winger, centre, and lock.
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Actually listened to their press conference after last nights game (guess I'm a footy tragic). Ivan said about McLean and basically the whole left edge that when they weren't playing well last year and the team was losing games, they just decided to keep them in and not try bringing in different combinations. He thinks now the experience they got has helped turn them into the team they are today.

Interesting that they backed their best prospects and rode the wave. The complete opposite of Canterbury. And even Bellamy, who loves a chop and change (when he has players available to do it).

That and peptides. Allegedly.
 
Capital_Shark said:
They are absolutely head and shoulders above every other team in the competition. The Storm did not do much wrong tonight and copped a shellacking. The football we played against them in Bathurst would dominate most sides and seemed to trouble them the most, but it fell way short of beating them.

I think they are so far ahead of everyone else that you don’t necessarily look at how to beat them, but what they’d do so well that everyone else doesn’t. But I cannot put my finger on it, they just do EVERYTHING better. For 80 minutes. Their defence is obviously supreme, but they offload better, support better, they are faster, stronger, fitter, more aware, chase harder, smarter, complete better, kick chase better, they just know someone is going to be in the right place at the right time – Sorenson’s flick pass was not in hope, he knew Edwards would be there. They are such a well oiled machine. Must be so well-trained. It’s not just a case of having the best halfback in the game, although that certainly helps.

They are psychopaths. Serial killers. Playing Penrith is like spending a night in the woods with Ivan Milat. Melbourne used to be the dominant force in this league, but it was easy to pinpoint what they did well; great defence, domination of the ruck (to the point we had to introduce the 2nd referee), the best 3 or 4 players in the game and rorting the salary cap. That’s not what Penrith are doing.

I’m interested in others thoughts on what they do so different to have such an edge, and how the **** anyone can beat them at the moment.

Go at it…
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I've had a few thoughts I've shared earlier, but basically I think they've worked out how to use the rules to their advantage better than any other team. Most dynasties are like that.

They game the 6-again like no other team. And that's not a knock on Penrith, credit to them for working it out.

That and their touch football skill level. They probably have more effective offloads than anyones else (you could look that up and prove me wrong) and attack from every point on the field They are a moving target that no-one has figured out how to pin down.

The confidence they have in their ability to handle other teams defensively and throw the ball around gives them a freedom to try things other teams are warning their players not to do. We have been guilty of that.... reminds me of an interview with Kaufusi (I think it was) where Sam (Sharkcast) was saying he was seeing a few more offload attempts. Kaufusi said that Daniel Holdsworth was encouraging it more. Maybe that was the change we needed over Hannay's style. If Dan's responsible for Will playing more touch footy, then I'm already a big fan. It'll help close the gap between us and Penrith.
 
Sparkles said:
Actually listened to their press conference after last nights game (guess I'm a footy tragic). Ivan said about McLean and basically the whole left edge that when they weren't playing well last year and the team was losing games, they just decided to keep them in and not try bringing in different combinations. He thinks now the experience they got has helped turn them into the team they are today.

Interesting that they backed their best prospects and rode the wave. The complete opposite of Canterbury. And even Bellamy, who loves a chop and change (when he has players available to do it).

That and peptides. Allegedly.
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Add to that, I heard Nathan say in an interview that after the loss to Brisbane, they realised they were no longer the fittest team which really rattled them

So over the preseason, they went extra hard on their fitness. That included no rest or 'load monitoring' etc of older players.

Basically everyone did everything.
 
Gibs said:
We all gave **** to Gus for his 5 year plan too...
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Penrith’s success has very little to do with Gould on the field. Yes off the field with the Clubs debts etc.

In fact he said Cleary was “tired” .

He was always interfering with Cleary as he is probably doing with Ciraldo now.

Penrith’s success is very much about the smarts of Ivan Cleary and the machine that Nathan Cleary is in being so consistent at a very high level every week.
 
Dragon Slayer said:
Penrith’s success has very little to do with Gould on the field. Yes off the field with the Clubs debts etc.

In fact he said Cleary was “tired” .

He was always interfering with Cleary as he is probably doing with Ciraldo now.

Penrith’s success is very much about the smarts of Ivan Cleary and the machine that Nathan Cleary is in being so consistent at a very high level every week.
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Where do a lot of their players come from?
 
When my team was struggling our coach said he’d shout us McDonalds (he owned at least one) after every game we won and we went on something like an 11 game winning streak and if I remember correctly, made but lost the GF

Maybe we try that?
 
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Penrith have a focus on fitness and guys who do the 1% and extra efforts
They use the rules well
And always have exception line speed

With their core of Cleary, Yeo and Edwards they can cover for some developing players and elevate them. Guys like Kenny and Leota are crucial in locking down the middle and maintain that line speed with Yeo.

Cleary has a massive bag of tricks that can bail them out of most situations and when attacking they just seem to be more energetic more athletic and have stickier hands than anyone.

If I look back at our game and remember Cleary holding down and not giving away a 6 again, I can’t see how our big pack can beat can be used as a strength against the style of play they have mastered to the point refs assume it is okay
 
Dragon Slayer said:
From players Ivan and his scouting team find.
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Gus is the one who set up the academys out in the country that found them players like Yeo, Martin and this Phillips kid who has just debuted.

Another one of the things he did that probably doesn't get highlighted enough is focus on education and training programs for junior coaches. Its why these kids look like seasoned professionals almost immediately, they've been receiving elite coaching since they started playing
 
Sevshark said:
Gus is the one who set up the academys out in the country that found them players like Yeo, Martin and this Phillips kid who has just debuted.

Another one of the things he did that probably doesn't get highlighted enough is focus on education and training programs for junior coaches. Its why these kids look like seasoned professionals almost immediately, they've been receiving elite coaching since they started playing
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All true - but Gus didn’t want Cleary back who iced the above work ..
 
I think for us or most, actually, any team to beat Panthers you are going to need to chance your arm & hope most stick.

I’m not exactly endorsing play hot potato with the ball but if you have the attitude, we need to execute better, get through our sets, high completions no brain fades in defence, take our chances when they come, blah blah blah you have minimal chance of beating them.

They either need to have multiple key injuries in the game or play their worst game in the last 6-7 yrs to beat them.

They won’t beat themselves, they’ll actually back themselves to win or outlast any toe to toe confrontation in the game, against anyone.

They are so well drilled & trained, ready to play the long game & defend against a team who completes high, does the structure of tackles 1,2,3,4 & 5.

For me, you might as well go down swinging, all the pressure will be on them (not that they cave in to pressure)
We wont be expected to win so take the attitude, let’s mix it up, play a game where we do play expansive, L to R, R to L, have a offload type game plan, they love to defend against structure, they eat it up, if teams start to panic & play catch up they just strangle ‘ punish you.

Who cares right, we haven’t beat them like forever, play a calculated risk type game, try to make them uncomfortable, make them adjust or defend to second phase & offloads.

They can train all they like against offloads but we ourselves, if we don’t know when we are going to do them, they won’t, what’s the worse that can happen? They beat us, punish us? Been there, done that already, playing them at their own game, history shows we lose.
 
Wasn’t it Gus who wanted Cleary sacked? And also was the one opposed to bringing him back?

Don’t get me wrong he’s done a lot of good at Penrith but their success isn’t all down to him. I’d give the Cleary’s more credit than Gus.
 
They’re a phenomenal playing group but it’s Nathan that sets them apart, whenever opposition begin to get the upper hand he pulls out something to swing momentum. Happens against us routinely with his 40/20s. And once they have momentum no team runs down hill better.
 
Gus and Cleary are 2 different topics in Penriths success.

1 is responsible for off field success, 1 for on field
 
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