The NRL finals have never seen a seventh-placed side quite like this.
As the Penrith Panthers begin their historic quest for a fifth premiership—and sixth straight grand final appearance—one former great believes they’re a bigger threat than ever.
“It’s a really interesting pattern Ivan Cleary is taking into this finals series this year,” Queensland Maroons head coach Billy Slater said on his podcast this week.
“The form doesn’t read great for Penrith, they’ve lost a couple of golden point games, then they rested a heap of players two weeks ago and lost again.”
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“Half way through the year everyone had written them off, ‘oh, they can’t even play finals’,” Slater said.
“Then when they realised they couldn’t make the top four, they rested a heap of players and have done it a different way—but I actually believe the Penrith Panthers are more dangerous this year than any other year.”
‘They have a free crack at it’
With the pressure off, the two-time premiership winner believes the Panthers will be able to play free of expectation, something that should have their NRL rivals on high alert, beginning on Saturday with the New Zealand Warriors.
“Other years they (Penrith) have finished as the best defensive team in the competition, the best team in the competition, and they were expected to be there on the final day of the season,” he said.
“This time I think they’re even more dangerous, some of their young players have really developed and they’re now a big strike weapon, especially on that left hand side with Blaize Talagi and Casey McLean.
“They’re a dangerous footy team right now because they probably feel like they have a free crack at it and they’re going to to go after it.
“I think they’ll get over the Warriors and that will give them another hit of confidence.”