Latest news with #ScottSattler
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Too hard': Andrew Johns rejects claims from legends in surprise call on Panthers
League Immortal Andrew Johns has rejected claims from Panthers greats Scott Sattler and Greg Alexander after writing off Penrith's chances of winning a fifth-straight NRL premiership. The Panthers are on a six-game winning streak that's seen them jump into sixth on the ladder after sitting last just two months ago, and it's led to renewed optimism from the likes of Sattler and Alexander that they win another grand final in 2025. Alexander said this week that he believes any of the Raiders, Bulldogs, Broncos or Panthers are capable of preventing premiership favourites the Storm from lifting the trophy this season. Penrith have a tricky run of fixtures in the run home and will be up against to leapfrog the Warriors (4th) and sew up an all-important top-four spot for the finals. But fellow Penrith legend Sattler claims that will be 'irrelevant' for Ivan Cleary's side, based on their resurgent form and proven finals experience. 'They can (win the premiership), based on the aura... and it doesn't matter if they finish 5th or 6th, because a home elimination/semi-final to them is irrelevant," Sattler said on SEN radio this week. 'And they've got players that know how to win and how to prepare.' Johns is not convinced though, and says it will be 'too hard' for the Panthers to win the grand final in the likelihood they finish outside the top-four. Under the current finals system, no team has ever won an NRL premiership after finishing the regular season below 4th and Penrith are currently three wins off the Warriors, who have an easier run home on paper. The Warriors still have two games to play against the last-placed Titans and also have favourable home fixtures against the Dolphins, Dragons and Eels. The Bulldogs and Manly are the only current top-eight sides the Warriors face in their final seven games. Penrith's next three fixtures look juicy on paper, starting with Saturday's home game against the Tigers, followed by matches against strugglers the Gold Coast and Newcastle. But the defending premiers have to play the top three sides in a brutal run home, with clashes against the Storm, Raiders and Bulldogs followed by an away game at the Dragons to round out the season. RELATED: Kevvie vows to act as three stars consider walking away from Kangaroos Madge spills family detail that has Walsh and Broncos primed for finals Panthers fans divided after Ivan Cleary forced to axe grand final hero Andrew Johns dismisses Penrith's premiership hopes Johns says with such a difficult finish and every finals clash likely to be an elimination game for Penrith, he can't see them winning the premiership again this year. "Really, out of eight weeks of footy, they will have one so-called easy game against the Dragons but the rest are at semi-final intensity," he said on Nine's Freddy and the Eighth. "(They'll) go into sudden death footy where they have to win four games in a row. It is too hard for them. They've played a lot of footy (but) Liam Martin is busted, I don't know how Nathan's (Cleary) groin and that is. But it is a bridge too far this year for the Panthers." However, fellow league great Brad Fittler pointed to the fact that Penrith have still been able to win, despite resting their Origin stars such as Cleary and Martin in recent weeks. And he says it could actually give the Panthers an advantage over some of their top-eight rivals, who have vastly less finals experience than the four-time defending premiers. "I think the good sign is they are winning at home and they have managed to all have a rest," Fittler said. "Nathan (Cleary), Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards, Brian To'o have all had a rest and they still managed to win those games. "They won all their games over Origin and made 16 points over six games and two byes. A lot of the teams that are at the top, Canterbury, the Raiders, the Warriors... geez, they haven't had much experience playing in finals. You've got three teams who haven't been in the top four for a long time."
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Scary Panthers detail that backs up huge NRL premiership call from club legend
Penrith's six-game winning streak has put their NRL rivals on notice and left Panthers legend Scott Sattler convinced they can win a fifth-straight premiership this season. And one scary detail from their resurgent form backs up Sattler's assertion, and should serve as a warning to Penrith's fellow premiership contenders. During their six-game winning run from round 13, the Panthers have only conceded a competition-best 11 points per game in a stunning return to their defensive best. One moment from Penrith's most recent win against South Sydney in round 20 highlighted their steely resolve when Tyrone Munro looked destined to score out wide in the second half, only to be held up over the tryline after some desperate, scrambling defence from the Panthers. Led by fullback Dylan Edwards, it was the type of play that has become synonymous with the Panthers in recent seasons and was a far cry from their displays earlier this season. Penrith were dead-last two months ago when they were averaging more than 24 points against, across the opening 12 rounds. And it's no coincidence that their surge into sixth spot on the ladder has coincided with a transformation into the NRL's best defensive side across that period. Penrith's NRL dynasty has been built around their work without the ball and Ivan Cleary's side only averaged more than 16 points against per game in one season since 2020, when they played in the first of five consecutive grand finals. The one outlier was their 2022 premiership season when Penrith conceded 23.3 points per game. Penrith rediscover their NRL premiership-winning defence However, Penrith's 11 points against per game across their last six victories is better than their premiership seasons, with the club conceding an average of 13.2 points between 2020 and 2024. "You can just feel like we're more resilient, we're stopping tries, we're making it hard for the opposition," captain Isaah Yeo said. "Whereas that wasn't really the case for the first half of the season. "They'd go down on our end in the first set, they'd put on a play, it wasn't under pressure, and all of a sudden they're scoring. "But we're trusting the system a bit more, we're being a bit more proactive, particularly at the start of the games. We've relied on that for such a long period of time now, and we didn't have that for the first half of the season." During their current winning streak, Penrith have only let in seven first-half tries, compared to 27 in their opening 11 matches and it's a major factor behind their return to form. "Off the back of that, you get in the game style you want. You get more ball in play. It all flows so much into each other," Yeo added. "When we're defending well, it keeps the ball in play more. The flip side of that, when you're having to score points and get frantic ... it doesn't suit the way we've played over the last five or six years. We were having to tackle way too much because of the pressure we were putting on ourselves." RELATED: Tigers star linked with switch to rival clubs as medical detail emerges Broncos' cap squeeze could claim another star as 'formal' offers touted Tigers player escapes charge over tackle that left superstar injured Penrith's resurgence is even more impressive when you consider they've been missing some or all of their Origin stars for games during their six-match winning streak. And it's little wonder that Penrith legend Sattler is convinced they can go on and claim an unprecedented fifth straight NRL premiership this year. 'They can, based on the aura... and it doesn't matter if they finish 5th or 6th, cause a home elimination/semi-final to them is irrelevant," Sattler said on SEN radio this week. 'And they've got players that know how to win and how to prepare.' with AAP
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Completely disagree': Johns rejects claim about Ponga floated by Panthers great
Matty Johns says he 'completely disagrees' with suggestions from the likes of Penrith premiership great Scott Sattler that Newcastle would be better off letting Kalyn Ponga go, amid suggestions he could leave for rugby union. The Knights have been rocked by bombshell reports this week that a New Zealand-based rugby union agent has been acting on Ponga's behalf to shop him around to clubs in the rival code. It was also revealed on Monday that the Knights are preparing to part ways with coach Adam O'Brien at season's end, and are willing to pay him out $1.2 million. Ponga is contracted with the Knights until the end of 2027 on a deal worth $1.4 million per season but has previously expressed a desire to play rugby union. And while Ponga's management haven't approached the Knights about the potential of an early release, there's believed to be some openness at the club to letting him leave if he doesn't want to be there. Newcastle's marquee man is sidelined with a foot injury in what is the latest in a long list of setbacks for the Origin star. If he doesn't play again in 2025 it will mean he's missed 46 games for the Knights in five seasons, and the club's winning percentage is actually slightly better without their star No.1 than when Ponga is in the side (45% compared to 41%). It's part of the reason why critics such as Sattler have argued the Knights would be better off cutting their losses with Ponga if he doesn't want to be there after this season. 'When you weigh up injury-wise, and games on field, and from a salary cap perspective, it would also make sense to entertain the idea,' Sattler said. 'If that's the way they need to go and leave a lot of money left in their salary cap to try and go and explore other options. It makes sense.' But Knights great and former premiership winner Johns says part of what makes Ponga so important is the influence he brings off the field and the ability for the club to attract talent to play alongside him. Kiwi Test five-eighth Dylan Brown, who signed a 10-year deal with the club from next season, is evidence of that. "With Kalyn it's not just what he brings on the field, it's what he brings to the club as far as profile, marketing but also being able to attract other players," Johns told SEN radio. RELATED: Roosters playmaker tipped to exit after being overlooked for veteran Fury over Panthers star's ban after Parra rival cops season-ending injury Knights offer contracts to two State of Origin players amid Ponga blow Johns argues that the reality of losing a player of Ponga's quality is that it is almost impossible to replace them. And he says the Knights are in 'a precarious situation' because of the two new teams entering the NRL - Perth in 2027 and PNG in 2028 - and their likelihood to go after marquee superstars such as Ponga. "They're just starting their aggressive campaign to get people Perth because they're on the clock," Johns added. "PNG will start soon with the lure of tax-free dollars. And as a consequence all these other established sides, they're going around signing all their blokes. "So if you start losing guys like Kalyn Ponga, you can't replace them. That's the problem. Now on top of that you've got the Dylan Brown situation. So Dylan Brown's coming to the club and... the five-year plan going forward is for Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown to form an attacking combination, a partnership, that's what the plan is. "So if KP is not going to be there, boy oh boy, that throws a spanner in the works as far as our future plans. And so yeah there's a school of thought saying 'he's getting injured all the time, it's probably a good thing and the Knights should take advantage of it' (but) I completely disagree."
