When September comes round climate begins to heat up, the grass will get a little bit bit greener and Penrith win finals video games. At this level, it simply appears like part of life, like one thing that is as inevitable as Monday following Sunday. It is simply the best way issues are.
The Panthers’ 32-6 win over the Warriors was spectacular and imposing and, if you happen to’re a fan of a staff who remains to be within the premiership race, terrifying. It was additionally common, perfunctory and simple to see coming.
That is what Penrith do and we have now all seen them do it many, many instances earlier than. The Kiwis amongst us should not really feel too unhealthy. At a while or one other over the previous three seasons, nearly everybody has gotten what’s coming to them in opposition to the Panthers.
Even when talismanic halfback Shaun Johnson was enjoying this was going to be a tall order for the Warriors. With out him, it grew to become near not possible.
New Zealand are a classically constructed soccer staff – their power is their ahead pack, primarily within the type of Addin Fonua-Blake and Tohu Harris, and on the again of that Shaun Johnson creates probabilities for a backline which, for probably the most half, is a mix of workmanlike grinders and large improvers.
Throw in a number of effort and vitality in defence and it is a great way to play out a season as a result of it is the sort of fashion that is straightforward to duplicate week to week. However within the finals you want a little bit bit extra and with out Johnson to cleared the path, the Warriors couldn’t discover it.
It is comprehensible if the impartial fan is a little bit bit sick of Penrith’s dominance. They have been doing this, in varied types and with varied new faces, for nearly 4 years now. It appears to occur repeatedly, then repeatedly and once more after that.
The strategy would not change all that a lot. There’s massive carries from the again three, brutal contact from the forwards, crafty and exact management from Nathan Cleary and slick execution when it counts and all of it occurs again and again till the opposition appear like they’re drowning on the market on the grass.
That is precisely the way it occurred this time round. Cleary was in very good contact in one in every of his finest video games of the season as he created two early tries. Liam Martin was charging down the proper edge prefer it was his life’s calling. Sunia Turuva and Brian To’o ran the ball like whoever completed with probably the most run metres would win the deed to Panthers Leagues Membership.
The screws had been turned, the units had been accomplished, the tackles had been made, the tries had been scored and when the mud settled the Panthers had received, once more, they usually’d made a very good aspect look fairly second price, once more.
It is price remembering the Warriors should not second-rate. Only a few groups who end within the high 4 are. In the event that they get Johnson again subsequent week they’re each likelihood of progressing to the preliminary remaining. However they didn’t look in Penrith’s class on Saturday afternoon.
That is not an insult, it is only a actuality they usually’re not alone in that regard as a result of very, only a few groups have had something resembling a solution for these Panthers. It is change into a narrative so acquainted most followers might recite it chapter and verse.
You is likely to be sick of it, however Penrith aren’t and that is the important thing. They’ve discovered pleasure not in victory however within the journey to it. Some groups benefit from the course of of making a win however the win itself is the reward.
For Penrith, the reward is the method itself. They’ve discovered a method to enjoy successful a thousand small battles greater than successful the largest ones.
That is why they’ve received two straight premierships whereas staying as hungry as they had been once they had been nonetheless chasing their first. That is why they’re odds on to change into the primary staff in practically half a century to win three titles in a row. That is why they’re the Panthers and that is why your staff is not.
The finals are nonetheless simply starting however Penrith returning to the grand remaining for the fourth yr in a row feels inevitable. Of the remaining groups solely Brisbane seem to be they’ve the muscle and the ability and the swagger to problem them.
After burying their Melbourne Storm hoodoo and with a house preliminary remaining ready there may be nothing left for Kevin Walters aspect to concern – not even the Panthers, who they beat at Penrith at first of the yr.
They’re a superb and brutal soccer staff they usually have a livid, determined starvation not simply to struggle and win however to dominate and excel. They’ve every part they should win a premiership.
And none of it’d matter as a result of all of which may not be sufficient. Nothing has been sufficient to deal with Penrith for years now. It simply retains occurring. They simply preserve doing it. We’re operating out of issues to say and methods to inform this story as a result of we have already seen the ending.
