Penrith have long been developing talent – not only for themselves but also other NRL clubs – to the point that those who have left would challenge those who remain.
If you were to compile a team of former Panthers, in positional order, who have left or are poised to since the first of their four consecutive grand final appearances, it’s a roster that would challenge for the title.
It would comprise a spine of Stephen Crichton at fullback, a halves pairing of Jarome Luai and Jack Cogger (if not one of the Dolphins halves of Isaiya Katoa or Sean O’Sullivan). Apisai Koroisau would the hooker, playing behind a forward pack that includes James Fisher-Harris, Spencer Leniu, Viliame Kikau, Kurt Capewell and J’Maine Hopgood.
Throw Matt Burton and Sunia Turuva into the back line and it’s a team that would push even the premiers.
“They’d be competitive, put it that way,” said Panthers Group chief executive Brian Fletcher.
Penrith spend $3 million every year on its pathways, resulting in 619 teams across the western corridor playing with their juniors. The investment has paid off, as evidenced by the club winning the past three NRL premierships.
The Panthers have had to farewell a host of superstars.Credit: Illustration: Marija Ercegovac
However, the Panthers can’t keep them all. The salary cap has hit hard, resulting in at least two marquee men leaving every season. The biggest beneficiaries have been Canterbury, who have four former Panthers – Crichton, Burton, Viliame Kikau and Jaeman Salmon – in their side. Even the Bulldogs coach, Cameron Ciraldo, completed his apprenticeship at the foot of the mountains, while the club’s general manager of football, Phil Gould, oversaw much of Penrith’s rebuild.
“Becoming a development club takes a lot of time, energy and investment of resources over a long period of time,” Ciraldo said. “It’s a credit to the Panthers club that they stayed the course through the ups and downs and stuck to their mandate to build from within.
“Obviously they’re seeing the fruits of their development program now, but so is the game with the amount of players to come through that system and move on to other clubs. I don’t think development clubs are compensated enough.
“The lessons for us are to make sure we are focused on putting elite systems and processes in place, work hard and stay the course through the ups and downs. It took nearly 10 years for Penrith to become an overnight success.”
The Bulldogs believe their own investment in nurturing talent will pay off in time. They have bought aggressively in the interim, with a focus on recruiting from successful teams. That has resulted in several superstar Panthers making the switch.
“It’s important you have players who know what winning looks like,” Ciraldo said.
“We’re really lucky as a club to have guys who have come from a winning culture, to help drive standards and winning behaviours. They understand the level of commitment and sacrifice needed to succeed at this level.
“The guys we’ve been able to bring in have been like extra coaches for us and great role models for our younger players learning what the NRL is all about. To develop NRL players of the future, it helps to have living, breathing examples of professionalism in your club, as an example for the younger players to follow.”
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo shows the Penrith pipeline extends beyond players.Credit: Kate Geraghty
Crichton, appointed Bulldogs captain after his stint at Penrith, said his new side was trying to emulate the work ethic of the premiers.
“When I first started there, that’s what we built ourselves on at the Panthers, and I see a lot of resemblance right now with the younger boys coming through, just eager to learn and keen to make their footy better,” Crichton said.
“We’re all on the same journey here to make each other better.”
With so much homegrown talent, it’s rare for the Panthers to chase an established star. An exception was made when Titans forward David Fifita was targeted to help offset the loss of Fisher-Harris.
“I don’t know what would happen if we weren’t a development club, I don’t know where all the players would come from.”
Panthers Group CEO Brian Fletcher
The loss of key personnel is both a sore point and a source of pride for Penrith.
“I do think we should be compensated in some way for the amount of players we’ve developed and the status they’ve become throughout the league,” coach Ivan Cleary said in a press conference this week.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Fletcher.
“I don’t know what would happen if we weren’t a development club, I don’t know where all the players would come from,” he said. “There must be a system to encourage people to do what we’re doing in development. If you do that, you should get some sort of compensation.
“With more teams coming in, you need to develop more players. If we stop, where are they going to get the players for the next franchise?”
The Penrith footprint extends all the way to Dubbo, Bathurst and Forbes, giving promising country footballers a chance to realise their NRL dream. The production line also extends to coaches, with Ciraldo, Andrew Webster and Trent Barrett getting poached for head roles.
It’s the player exodus, however, that could eventually result in the premiers coming back to the pack. Regardless, the club remains an attractive proposition for aspiring or established players.
“The beauty of it is that if a player comes here for an opportunity to play at the Panthers, they often go away and double their wage,” Fletcher said. “[Sean] O’Sullivan, Zac Hosking, [Kurt] Capewell have all done that. It’s a good opportunity to reset yourself.”
with Billie Eder
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.