Penrith Panthers

The Penrith Panthers are a team in the National Rugby League (NRL), the premier rugby league football competition in Australia.

Based in Penrith, New South Wales, 60 km west of the centre of Sydney and at the foot of the Blue Mountains, the Panthers were in 1967 admitted to the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition, predecessor of the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and the current NRL competition.

Penrith struggled for almost 20 years before finally reaching their first finals series in 1985. Penrith achieved their first Grand Final appearance in 1990 only to be beaten by the Canberra Raiders 18-14. The next year the Panthers met the Raiders again in the Grand Final, this time walking away winners in a game where the Panthers score 19 points to Canberra's 12. The Panthers most recent premiership achievement was in 2003, in a Grand Final where they were considered under dogs to the Sydney Roosters.

In 2005 the Panthers came tenth, unable to reach the finals for the first time since 2002. Statistically, it is interesting to note that both times that the club won premierships, they finished on the top of the table at the end of the home and away season, that is they were Minor Premiers as well.

Club history

The early years

Varied Penrith teams had played for many years between 1912 and 1966 in the Western Districts League under the control of the Western Suburbs RLFC, in the Parramatta competition after Parramatta was admitted to the NSWRL in 1947, and also in a second-tier Sydney competition introduced by the NSWRL in 1962. By this time a single top level rugby league team had emerge in the Penrith area and in 1964 they became known as the Penrith Panthers. The Panther had been chosen as the Penrith emblem after a public competition won by a graphic artist from Emu Plains named Deidre Copeland.

In 1966 word was out that the New South Wales Rugby League in 1967 would introduce two new teams to the Sydney premiership. There were three teams vying for the two proposed slots, Penrith, Cronulla-Sutherland, and Wentworthville. Cronulla-Sutherland had been assured of one place, leaving Penrith and Wentworthville to fight it out for the other place. The NSWRL eventually settling on Penrith due to their location and a win in the 1966 Second Division title.

After admission to the competition in 1967, they promptly came second last on the competition ladder. Penrith struggled for almost 20 years before finally reaching their first finals series in 1985.

The 90's

Penrith achieved their first Grand Final appearance in 1990 with a team boasting notable players the likes of Greg Alexander and Mark Geyer only to be beaten by the Canberra Raiders 18-14. The next year the Panthers met the Raiders again in the Grand Final, this time walking away winners in a game where the Panthers scored 19 points to Canberra's 12, including two tries by Royce Simmons the former team captain in his last game.

Their reign was short lived as in 1992 tragedy struck the club when the younger brother of Captain Greg Alexander, Ben, died in a car accident. Greg, close family friends Mark Geyer and Brad Fittler left the club soon after and coach Phil Gould left mid-way through the 1994 season, to be replaced by Royce Simmons.

Current Squad
Squad
Full Backs
Brett Howland
Rhys Wesser
Wingers
Michael Gordon
Luke Rooney
Nick Youngquest
Centres
Luke Lewis
Danny Galea
Lee Hookey
Halves
Preston Campbell
Craig Gower
Craig Trindall
Peter Wallace
Wayne Bond
Hookers
Luke Priddis
Paul Aiton
Props
Joel Clinton
Matthew Cross
Frank Puletua
Bryan Norrie
Craig Stapleton
Second Rowers
Shane Rodney
Luke Swian
Tony Puletua
Matthew Bell
Frank Pritchard
Locks
Trent Waterhouse
David McLean

2000 and onwards

In the year 2001, they came last on the competition ladder, and they were only prevented from collecting the wooden spoon by the Canterbury Bulldogs' salary cap scandal in 2002. 2001 was Royce Simmons' last game as coach for the Panthers, and he was replaced by Johnny Lang from Cronulla in 2002. Their last game of 2002 showed hope as they proceeded to thrash the Northern Eagles, knocking them out of the final eight.

This showed the promise that was to come the next year. With the signing of Preston Campbell and Joe Galuvao, their side fired in 2003. Coming off 3 early season losses, they proceeded to lose only 3 other games for the rest of the competition with the local hero, Rhys Wesser scoring a new club record 25 tries. Penrith finished as Minor Premiers after convincingly accounting for the Parramatta Eels in the last round of competition. In the Finals series Penrith beat the Brisbane Broncos and New Zealand Warriors to get into the Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters. The Grand Final of 2003 was hailed by many as the best ever, with Penrith, tagged as heavy underdogs, beating the Sydney Roosters 18-6. Winger Luke Rooney scored two tries ala Royce Simmons in 1991, hooker Luke Priddis received the Clive Churchill Medal. The game is also remembered for a spectacular tackle by Scott Sattler in the 2nd Half on a flying break away winger Todd Byrne to stop an almost certain try, which may have seen the match take a different direction.

Penrith lost the World Club Challenge in early 2004, with Bradford defeating them 22-4 in sub-zero temperatures.

The Uniform

Penrith's uniform colours in the 1966 NSWRL Second Division and earlier years were blue and white but due to the Cronulla-Sutherland side registering a predominantly blue jersey design first, and with Newtown, Canterbury, Eastern Suburbs and Parramatta also displaying various shades of blue, Penrith went in search of an alternative. A decision was made to change their colours to Brown with a white V. This decision subsequently earned them the affectionate name of the "Chocolate Soldiers" thanks to radio commentator Frank Hyde who wrote in the Penrith Club journal "these chocolate soldiers from out west - they don't melt!". In 1974 Penrith changed their strip to a jerseys with brown and white vertical bars and again in 1991 they changed the colours to Black with White, Red, Green and Yellow stripes until 2000 when they changed the colours once more to Black, Rust red, Teal green and White.