Speaker 1: Now it's time the tensions that We're running high at
Penrith Panthers Podcast presented by The Western Weekender thanks to
Penrith Toyota. Here's at Troy Dodds and Nathan Taylor.
Speaker 2: Hello everyone and welcome to Tensions Running High at Penrith
Panthers Podcast presented by The Western Weekend. This is episode
sixty eight. I'm Troy Odds. I'm joined by Nathan Taylor Hallo,
Nathan Helly Troy. We are the voice of regular League
in Penrith. We love talking all things Penrith Panthers. For
thirty five years, the Western Weekend has led the way
in Panthers coverage Here in Penrith. We've covered six premierships,
the biggest breaking stories and interviewed CEOs, coaches, chairman players.
The list goes on a big thanks to our sponsor
Penrith City Automotive. Go and see Garth and the team.
Get yourself a new or used car. In might have
some EV's over there in the petrol rpe he does
to grab on the agenda. Today we have a chat
with Luke Garner who has re signed with the club.
We preview the Battle of the West, the drama are
cheerleaders and buses. Matt Eisenhuth retires Thomas Jenkins in an
origin jersey. Maybe not as far fetched as you think.
But look, let's get underway and have another big win.
Last Friday night the Panthers hammering the Roosters. I know
we are only three rounds in, but is it too
early to go off and say Penrith are probably going
to win this comp?
Speaker 3: Well, probably not too early.
Speaker 4: I mean, it's only three games, but I mean, and
what we've seen so far, Troy, it's it's looking pretty good.
It's as I haven't said in the in the press conference.
I think on Monday he did a coach's presser just
to say that, hey, we're having a good time at
the moment, but just just you know, cool it down
a little bit, because there is a long way to go,
only three games in, but it's the almost the perfect start, Troy.
Speaker 3: Three from three. You've conceded two tries across.
Speaker 4: Three games as well, Like it's compared to what happened
this time last year, you'd be loving life as a
pair of this fan right now.
Speaker 2: Do you think you'd be worried about that? Elements you
know that it is only three games. They're probably playing
their best football this early in the season.
Speaker 4: Yeah, look, they I've spoken to a couple of players
today and they argue that they're not playing their best football.
Yet they still believe what well, you know, to us
the untrained eye, we think.
Speaker 3: They're just about perfect.
Speaker 4: They're putting on plenty of points and they're they're holding
teams to zero almost most weeks.
Speaker 3: We think they're at the top of their game.
Speaker 4: But internally they believe that they've got to I still
have a bit of a way to go, which I
think is probably good and probably scary for the league
to think that, Wow, if Peneth already putting forty points
on the Roosters in round three, you know, what are
they going to be like come later in the year.
Obviously later in the year injuries can make an impact
and whatnot, and players get a bit more tired and
things like that.
Speaker 3: But so far, so.
Speaker 2: Good, certainly, isn't I guess. Look, there you could mount
an argument to say, well, yeah, there's you know, Brisbane
certainly off their game in Week one and really didn't
find until the second half of Round three, didn't find
their rhythm. The Sharks, who we thought would be a
top four. So I get towed up by the Dolphins
on the weekend and the Roosters. I actually still have
faith in the Roosters.
Speaker 3: I told you preseason that I don't believe all they.
Speaker 2: I just feel like the roosters they need that spine
just needs to work itself out. It's a it's a
brand new spine and it'll work itself out.
Speaker 4: I just feel like they threw nothing at Penrith last week,
and that good that they just prevented everything.
Speaker 3: But some of their players just were passengers out there.
Speaker 2: It wasn't good. It wasn't good roosters perform.
Speaker 3: You were there like in real life.
Speaker 2: Well, the Roosters were pretty happy early on the fans,
they got off to a good start and then it
was very flat, very fat. There were some Panthers fans.
There was a decent crowd. Was it decent crowd for
a Friday.
Speaker 3: Sece Panthers fans?
Speaker 2: It was, yeah, obviously more Roosters fan. In fact, there
was a lot of people just in playing clothes. You know,
as I suggested last week, maybe it's popping in from
work to watch the other mighty Panthers go around. Yeah, Look,
it was a great all round performance and I don't
think that you would be taken away in a white
coat if you said Penrith are going to win the
comp which they are the best team by far i've seen.
So there's been twenty four games, I guess yep, I
think I've watched twenty two of them over the first
three rounds of the competition. Penrith are far and away
in the competition.
Speaker 4: Are they still premiership favorites on the beating? Have they
because they weren't coming into the year, But have they
moved up to?
Speaker 2: In fact, I think Peneth were installed as premiership favorites
after the Broncos. Oh really now, yeah, they'd be almost unbackable.
So there you go. And of course it all continues
this Saturday, the other Panthers up against the Eels at
Combank Stadium. It is a Penrith home game. Yep. There's
still bizarrely people asking on Panthers groups. You know, there's
my tickets work for this weekend and whatever else? And
I know that last year they actually had security checking
passes and whatnot because Eels fans thought they might be
able to go to their seats really and things like that,
so I don't know if they're doing the same thing,
but look, it should be a great game. The Eels. Look,
I haven't been very impressed with them, but they have
one two from three well, but of course they were
beaten by fifty in the first week, so very up
and down. But look, you know, I know you're a
little bit worried because the Eels have had Penrith measure
at least in the regular season.
Speaker 4: In recent years they have I was saying to some
friends the other day that the dinner in the Panthers
dynasty and I don't have the stats on me at
the moment, but I can at least remember at least
three or four occasions where the Eels actually beat Penrith
during that During that time. Last year, Penrith were too
good for them, obvious, the Eels change a coach and
Penwrith got up twice. But in previous years it's been
mostly Paramatta, right.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. In fact, I think there in the premiership year,
I think the Eels might have beaten Penrith twice in
the regular season and then lost twice in the finals.
Speaker 4: We have some games at Penrith Stadium. It happened to
as well, so they're not. It's one of those games
where anytime as a Battle of the West, you often
throw the form book out out the window because both
teams are just so desperate to beat each other. And
I think Saturday will be no different. I think the
Eels have been pretty impressive. I know, you know they haven't.
You know, obviously not one of the top teams, but
their fans would be happy with a two from three start.
Speaker 2: I'm saying that they didn't even deserve to sing the
team song on Sunday because the Dragon should have won
that game.
Speaker 3: You just you tip the Dragon.
Speaker 2: You were thinking, well, I was pretty happy there at once.
Speaker 3: You would have been on top of the Western weekend
the tipping comp if you tip the Eels.
Speaker 2: I did tip the Broncos.
Speaker 3: That was a good get.
Speaker 2: Yep. So I'm still going all right in the in
the tipping all right now? The Eels, of course, sucher
main hop good out a cl Now Isaiah the former Panther,
We thought that he was out, but now he's not out?
Is that the story?
Speaker 5: Like he was?
Speaker 6: So?
Speaker 3: Yes? Obviously. The NRL put out a press release yesterday
saying that.
Speaker 4: There was some some images that came out during you know,
a few months ago or whatever of you know him
him with some some some interesting things in the images
that caught the tension of the the NRL, and they've
they've you know, run their magnifying glass over and over
the past month or so and determine that he has breached,
had had a breach. But the Eels basically have five
days to respond to that breach.
Speaker 2: But as far as we've seen, the breach is a
one game suspension suspended.
Speaker 3: Which that's what a journalist think.
Speaker 4: Brett Reed put that on Twitter yesterday that that's what
they were thinking was going to happen. But remember the
Mitch Kenny scandal a couple of years ago. Troy he
put a photo out on Boxing Day, silly photos. Still
not sure what it meant personally, but he got done
two games for that.
Speaker 3: He missed the start of the season. So what's the
difference here?
Speaker 4: And that was that was like, there wasn't even anything
dodgy in that photo apart.
Speaker 3: From some text.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that is that is very interesting photo.
Speaker 3: There's two photos I think of young out there.
Speaker 2: I don't know what has changed in that regard. But
the weird thing is I think these days. So as you,
the reason we kind of don't know the actual answer
is because you the media doesn't get told what the
breach notice actually is. They get told that there's been
a breach notice. Now, this must have been something to
do with the RLPA that's come up with this, because
what is the point What is the point of letting
us know that we've given him a breach notice. We're
just not going to tell you what it is. That's
like saying the police have charged someone. It's not going
to tell you what we charged them with, Like that's
just silly.
Speaker 3: Well, that's right.
Speaker 2: And then the naming, so we kind of know what
the breach notice is because he's going to get names.
So very bizarre.
Speaker 4: But there's obviously a slim chance that all the information
is wrong and that the er old could pull Yongie
out of the team last minute. I doubt that's going
to happen. It sounds like there is some sort of
suspended sentence which you'll probably never you'll probably never even
cop at all, Like as if that's good, if we're
going to do that.
Speaker 2: Again, But how does this work? So let's say this
was a grand final week. Yeah, right, and the NALA
put this out on the Monday. And let's say the
suspension was two weeks. Yep, but the Eels have five
days to fight the breech. Notice, so if on day
five the Eels say no, we're actually gonna you know, protest,
that does that mean he can play until the protesters
sort it out? Or like, how long does it take
for that just sort out?
Speaker 3: Look how long it's taken the error to come out?
This this photo came.
Speaker 4: Out a while ago, this was in the in the preseason,
and now it's finally you know, the n was finally
judicating on I meanbe look happened to Taylor May a
few years ago where they suspended him.
Speaker 3: That was ridiculous, But then they let.
Speaker 2: Him play for the fight in which he got injured.
Speaker 3: But he got injured and it was out for a while.
Speaker 2: Anyway, thought we shouldn't be robbed of seeing him Taylor May.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2: So if you do dispute the breech, notice, who do
you dispute it to? The NRL the people who breech? Yeah?
Very bizarre, very bizarre.
Speaker 3: And Carle Sanderling situation.
Speaker 2: I agree with the timing situation, Like if I'm in
the NRL to sort that out today. What other workplace
would it like? We're going to do a three month
investigation into.
Speaker 3: This photos photo alleged photo.
Speaker 2: Yeah please. Now, it's a five thirty kickoff on Saturday.
It is so of course part of Super Saturday, so
exclusive to Fox and KO. This should be a big
crowd though, because I see all the Panthers members, but
we should have Evils fans of course filling up the
rest of the seats.
Speaker 7: Oh.
Speaker 4: Absolutely, you can expect upwards of twenty thousand, I think
for this one great time slot for for lots.
Speaker 3: Of people to get to. It's a Saturday.
Speaker 4: I don't think there's any real major sport happening like
kids sport or anything like that happening at the moment
that doesn't start for a few more weeks, so it's
sort of the perfect time slight apart from it, maybe
a Sunday afternoon to get a big crowd there.
Speaker 2: I'll say that, actually it's a sold outsign doesn't go
up at Combank Stadium. That's disappointing.
Speaker 3: Really, what's that thirty thousand?
Speaker 2: That's thirty thousand. You've got Penrith flying right three from three.
I understand you've got to make the trek from Penrith
to Combat, but it's a Saturday at five thirty, so
it's all over by seven thirty, you know, and you've
got Para fans who.
Speaker 3: Are home and that'd be happy too with how their seasons.
Speaker 2: Absolutely this was If this was a situation where we
were playing as at Penrith as the away team, we'd
be buying tickets.
Speaker 3: I don't think it will be sold out. I could
be wrong.
Speaker 4: I know Panthers are pushing hard to sell tickets. They're
actually going to have another media op that had one today,
They have another media op in a couple of days
and put up another big name on that media rop.
They're looking at Nathan Cleary because admittedly they need to
sell more tickets.
Speaker 2: Okay, that's interesting. Do you think that that works that?
So this is what clubs sometimes have, This theory that
you put in Nathan Cleary out he gets his snippets
in the papers and the six pm news. I'd argue
that it really doesn't work unless you're putting Nathan up
to say something controversial, you know, to really spice up
the match. If you're putting Nathan up to say, it
should be a good contest looking forward to it, you know,
I can't wait. Hopefully everyone gets out there.
Speaker 3: And that's probably and that's probably what he's going to say.
Speaker 4: I guess they put him up because they know that
you're going to get airtime on seven, nine, ten, all
these networks, they're gonna they're gonna at least put something
up and mention the game, and they would just hope
that just that reminder would I would encourage people to
go down.
Speaker 3: I don't think it's the fact that Nathan's gonna call
for blood.
Speaker 4: And he's going to be like, right, Mitch Moses, it's
it's it's you and me on Saturday.
Speaker 3: I think it's more that you. As we saw today.
I was out there today.
Speaker 4: They put Isaiao was one of the four players up,
and it was a really good, strong contingent there. Of
print journo's only one TV journal was there, but the
rest there was some good a good, good contingent.
Speaker 3: And that's what happens. You put up big players.
Speaker 4: The media want to come out and I guess, yeah,
they're doing another one, which they very rarely do too.
Speaker 3: As you know, they don't do two player offfs.
Speaker 2: A week they have to do.
Speaker 3: They do whatever they have to do.
Speaker 4: And yeah, you'll see some more stuff coming out this
week because they really want to pump up this game.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and if there are still tickets available, obviously. And
I'm just having a look here because I thought i'd
get a family pass one hundred bucks. That he is
behind the posts, one hundred bucks.
Speaker 3: That's okay. It's a good stadia.
Speaker 2: Look, that's a good stadium. Yeah, and you've got Yeah,
that's a family of four for one hundred bucks.
Speaker 3: So yeah, you go, that's decent.
Speaker 2: You won't be there, of course, I won't know yet
another game yet's another game? Yeah, well you didn't. You
didn't watch the Pair Sharks, Gus, You're.
Speaker 7: No.
Speaker 4: Look, I won't be at the game, but there might
be a chance I will be able to watch it somewhere.
I've got an old colleagues wedding happening. She's happen to
having your wedding up the coast on Saturday. I think
she gets married at.
Speaker 3: Two thirty, right, Yeah, so two.
Speaker 4: Thirty ceremony, I think it's about and then I think
the reception is going to be after that, so we
could have a reception slash footy drama. I've never really
been to a wedding and had a footy game all
at the same time.
Speaker 2: Unfortunately, I've had a couple.
Speaker 3: But what do you do? Do you get the phone?
Speaker 5: Ow?
Speaker 3: Are you You got to sit in there?
Speaker 7: Like?
Speaker 2: Absolutely, I reckon nothing wrong with that. If you're going
to get married during the footy season and you're inviting me,
that's what you have to expect. All right, Well, Panthers,
it was five thirty Saturday. Get out there. We'll make
the call. Get out there.
Speaker 3: Yeah, get out there.
Speaker 4: This is the first time, you know, apart from me,
if you were lucky enough to go to Bathurst, this
is this is the first true home game for the
Panthers this year.
Speaker 2: It is I got to say. However, and I'm not
discouraging people from going, but as we enter this second
year of making the trip in paramatter, I'm feeling it's
a bit more of a drag than last year. Yeah,
I'm just feeling I'm feeling, you know, it's almost like
I don't want to say this. It's almost like, oh, yeah,
I got to go to the footy on Saturday. I'll
look forward to it when I'm there.
Speaker 3: I think if you're there, you'll be fine, but the.
Speaker 2: Mission of getting there and all of that fun not
so much. Hey, I could of course catch the bus
at least for now. It's worth noting some interesting decisions
by Panthers in the last couple of weeks. And we
aren't on the you know, we're not on the payroll,
so we don't know the inner workings of these decisions
and why they're made, but a couple of curious ones.
So these supporter buses, now these have been running for
thirty or forty years because I used to catch these
when I was a kid to away games. The supporter
buses are done at the end of this year. They're
already finished for away games, so Panthers aren't running those
buses anymore. So there's a lot of fans who for
years have got on these buses, have gone down to
Canberra support of the teams and really relied on them,
and for a lot of people it is their only
way to get to these away games. They're continuing them
for the rest of the games at Combanks Stadium. I
think there'd be a riot if they didn't, because you know,
we've even argued those buses should be free but anyway,
but yeah, no more supporter buses after this year. And
in addition to that, a weird sort of situation. Anita Adams,
who is a passionate Panthers fan. She's kind of been
the volunteer bus manager for Panthers for a few years now.
She was told before the season, you know, no longer required,
which I thought was interesting given that they're cutting the
buses anyway, why not just let it finish the season.
She's pretty upset by it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, and I don't blame her. I know, Anita, Well,
I've caught those buses many times over the years, where
it's been to Combat Stadium last year, or even just
finals games. My uncle, my wife and I would often
just go to catch the bus if it's going out
to Alians or to a core for a big game.
You don't want to have to get the train or
find parking. We would catch those buses, Anita. Anita was
almost the face of those buses. Should be there to
greet you as you'd come on, should check that you
mark your name off or whatever, and then if Penrith
had won or lost at the end of the game,
should also be there as almost a shoulder to cry on,
you know, just a comforting person that is with you
all the way. She's at Panthers the and probably one
of the biggest Panthers fans out there. Everyone knows Anita
and you know, she's just a friendly face whether you
won or lost. And I mean, I had no idea
the thinkings of the decision behind the behind the scenes,
but on the surface, I mean a lot of fans
really appreciated her being there and doing that job as
a volunteer as well.
Speaker 3: And it's a pretty simple job.
Speaker 4: You're basically marking off the names or whatever as people
gone off the bus. You jump on the bus and
explain what's happening, this is where the bus is going
to drop you off at, and you know where you're
going to meet the bus on the way home. And
it was just a simple job that she did very
well and had done for many many seasons. Stray I think,
So to say that they don't want her there this year.
Speaker 3: Is a little puzzling.
Speaker 4: I mean, they've obviously got their reasons, yep. But I guess,
you know, I guess it's just a bit bizarre to
people like us who aren't really sure of what those
reasons are.
Speaker 2: And the end of an era with the buses ending
in general, So.
Speaker 4: So that that means if there's a game at you know,
Newcastle next year or as you said, Canberra or somewhere else,
they're not even just going to run nothing.
Speaker 2: No supporter buses as far as I'm aware.
Speaker 3: And do you know why is it a costing?
Speaker 2: Well, well, from all I've heard is a costing, which
is interesting because I presume that you could put the
price up and see if fans are willing to pay it.
I'm not sure, but you know what, I actually start
to do some research find out how much a coach
is for a day, but I could start my own.
Speaker 4: So yeah, I actually saw a coach on Marketplace of
five thousand dollars yesterday.
Speaker 3: We could buy a panther, make a Panther coach.
Speaker 2: I'm not ruling it out. I'm not ruling it out.
You know, it's a look. But yeah, I'm guessing it
is an expensive exercise. But even if it was a
lost leader for the club, I think it's worth it
to put those services on.
Speaker 7: Well.
Speaker 4: Yeah, like the players, opposition fans need to be out
opposition games. Like you said, there's a lot of people families,
older people, peoples don't drive or don't want to drive
all the way to Newcastle that rely on these buses.
Speaker 3: Like every club has them.
Speaker 2: So now the the other thing that sort of the
mass Panther of course our colleague and that extra time.
And in the weekend he set the fuse alight last
week by revealing us some big changes at the pantherrets.
Now Panarets cost the official squad of the Panthers, And
what's happened is Pana's used West Side Performing Arts for
as long as I can remember, so they went sort
of the managers of the cheer squad. They're a locally
based company and they ran the Kiddi Cats all those
years ago, over twenty years, and this year Panthers, as
far as i'm a were put out to tender the
cheerleader contract and awarded it to a Gold Coast based
company and actually, yes, yep, Gold Coast based company. Now
they look after the Titans as far as I'm aware.
Very professional company, entourage and no doubt about that, very
professional and whatnot. But it's a little bit curious because
then the auditions happened, and as the mass Panther revealed
last week, a number of what they call veterans in
the in the cheer world were dumped. And dump's probably
not the word because you do have to audition every year.
But when you're a veteran in a cheer squad, now
I'm not previously an expert, but I've done some research
in the last week, you're pretty much unless you've been
you know, causing drama, you know, you know in the
group chat or something, you know, throwing from pom people, Yeah,
you're pretty much just you're gonna get in. Yeah, you're
going to get back in. Well, a whole host, up
to a dozen didn't get back in, including Chloe Carter
who won the Panther Out of the Year last year,
and Abby who is the Veteran of the Year last year.
So two of the award winners within the group didn't
get back in, plus a whole bunch of other veterans.
So yeah, it's created this whole drama about why that
happened and all these sorts of things. The curious part
of all this for me is why Panthers are using
a non penrith company in an area with so many
dance schools to run the cheer squad. I mean, you've
done stories on cheer companies in Penrith, winning massive awards
in America and all of this.
Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely, I think mass Panther he did a great
job last week because that story ended up everywhere. Even
I even saw the Daily Mail did a story on it. Yesterday.
It popped up on my Facebook feed about the scandal,
which obviously mass PA they didn't put out there initially.
I don't think many people would have realized what was
going on. And look, it's I say scandal, it's it's obviously,
you know, a first ball problem that that a che
some cheer cheerleaders aren't, you know, cheering at Penrith Games
this year. But obviously these girls took their job very
seriously and they were very well liked and very well
loved by the club and by you know, their old
bosses at west Side Performing Arts, and you know, they've
done the right thing too. They don't, you know, presume
they have to get back in every time without auditioning.
So they've gone to audition and and have missed out.
Speaker 3: But I think the curious thing for me that.
Speaker 4: I couldn't quite understand what was the whole gold gold coasting,
you know, as I said, even if you didn't pick
one of the Penrith many Penrith dance schools to run
your your cheerleader program, there would be a whole host
of others in Western Sydney, or even Sydney for that matter,
they would love to have that that that gig. So
the Gold Coast one, what they're going.
Speaker 3: To provide remains to be seen. I guess we'll see
on Saturday.
Speaker 4: If this, this spectacular cheerleader performance is any different to before.
Speaker 2: I'm sure it will be. I'm sure they're great dances
and as I said, a very professional company apparently. But
it's just is it. It's weird because I feel like
at the moment Penrith does not have a mandate at
all to support local first. And what I mean by
that is I've mentioned a few times and in recent
weeks for different issues they're using Glenn Hawk as the
ground announcer, up very professional groun announcer, but certainly not
a Penrith local and it does you know, half a
dozen other teams as well. Now we're using a Gold
Coast based company for the cheerleaders, like this just seems
like a regular occurrence that's starting to emerge, and I
feel like Panthers should be, you know, at every turn,
should be prioritizing.
Speaker 4: Locals absolutely, and you know that's what everyone should be doing.
You should, you know, you want to employ people in
your community, especially a big community club like Penrith, And
they talk about how much they are a community club
and how much they love the fans and everyone, but
they seem to be going external for a lot of
these important roles and this doesn't make sense to me.
Speaker 2: Troy curious.
Speaker 3: Well, and also we don't know who's making these decisions either.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I'm not sure.
Speaker 4: It could be a number of people that have made
each decision differently, or one person's just come in and
decided to right.
Speaker 3: This is changing, This is changing, This is changing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, because I'm not sure who's purview the Panther eats
would sit under, Like it's obviously game day manager, there's Mtcameron,
there's the board, Like, surely they're not making that you
would have think so. But anyway, look at it is
what it is, like, it's not the biggest drama in
the world. It's just a curious one from the last week,
particularly when there's really passionate people who are legitimate supporters
as well, and things like that. The other thing that
came out in all of this as I was speaking
to some people during the week, is that the cheersquad
has often felt a little bit ignored by the club,
almost like, oh, you can't talk about the cheerleaders. And
I think they're referring to things like when it's women
in league round, you know, the panthers off, they scramble
to try and find some sort of you know, the
group of their female employees or whatever. But here they
are with you know, these these dancers, professional dancers, paid employees,
you know, through they're.
Speaker 4: Not they're not acknowledged as they they probably have in
the past, though I think in the past.
Speaker 2: Maybe they're well way back. But to be.
Speaker 4: Promoted heavily a lot, and we even did we even
did things on the cheerleaders back in the day we
ran chilead com. We had our own Chileader of the
Year competition a few times here.
Speaker 2: But intriguing because I think you like, you know, and look,
I remember I created all the drama when when the
Bulldogs dump their cheerleaders, and there was I wrote some
columns on that at the time, because you know, this
this archaic view that ah, they're just there to look
at and they're their their girls in skippy class. That's
just ridiculous because they're there. If they don't want to
play rugby league, you know that they have an opportunity
to do what they love doing, which is dancing with
within the sport that they love. Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, And a lot of those girls grow up wanting
to be a pair of this cheerleader. They go to
the games with their families and that they see them,
they see the girls.
Speaker 3: There and that's what they aspire to.
Speaker 4: And you know, it's it's great that we still have Chileaders.
We could be doing a story today saying Panthers have
dumpee Chileaders all together, which obviously would be a massive
story because you know, they're so well known the Panther reats.
But yeah, I'm not sure.
Speaker 3: What's to say about that, but mass panther great scoop.
Speaker 2: Great scoop last week. Now, listen, fuel prices just keep climbing.
For many drivers, it's starting to hit hard at the pump.
So the question is is now the time for seriously
consider making the switch to hybrid or even fully electric
with hybrid vehicles. You're combining petrol efficiency with electric assistance,
meaning fewer trips to the servo and lower running costs,
especially in stop start traffic. And if you're ready to
go fully electric, you can eliminate fuel costs all together
and enjoy a smoother quite a drive with lower maintenance.
The good news is there are more options than ever before.
There's a wide range of hybrid and electric models available
a cross brands like Toyota, keybyd Honda, giving you flexibility
no matter what your lifestyle or budget. So if you
have been thinking about spending less on fuel and more
on the road ahead, well now might be the perfect
time to explore your options. Head to Penrish City Automotive
in Kingswood today. They're at eighty seven to one oh
one Great Western Highway and kings would take the first
step towards driving smarter. I think we have one ev driver.
Speaker 3: We do, and she's still complaining the petrol prices a
high what oh who? Obviously she's got her husband.
Speaker 4: Her husband doesn't have a he's got a diesel vehicle, chy,
so it's hit them hard even though she's got her own.
She just charges her car in the garage.
Speaker 8: Yes, okay, all right now now origin and origin already
and much Thomas Jenkins has been talked about as a
potential origin bald to have a listen to MG and
Paul Gallon on the weekend and the continuous call team.
Speaker 9: Yeah, Pedna, it's the coach Ivan Clearic speaking last night.
Just quickly, MG, you and gallup former Newshouth Welshman. As
far as wearing that sky blue no Zach Lomax, Yeah
for New South Wales this year is milky a little
smoky for you?
Speaker 6: Oh definitely, yeah, most definitely. Brian obviously is the other
winger and now that no Lomax happens an opportunity for
someone like the Tom Jenkins. He's scoring tries for fun
at the moment. You know, he tries this season for
last night. He just he just knows where the trail
on is and he gives one hundred percent. I love
the way he plays and exactly what I haven't said.
He he was started last year. He was playing for
some Mary's in the in the ron Massy Cup, training
with them, and all of a sudden opportunities arise and
I thought he was unlucky last year, but proved to be.
You know, I think that the centers they have in there,
we're the right ones at the time, because ala Modi,
you've got to have the finest place for him. But
who would have thought that in this off season Isaac
Taga wouldn't be in the team. So what he is doing,
Thomas Jenkins is making the most of every opportunity. And
that's what you do when you're a player who's hungry.
Speaker 2: You're a Milkie Jenkins fan.
Speaker 10: Oh, I'm a fan of him here. Look as far
as been an origin winger, I think smoke is probably
the right way to put it, like to not like
to think, but I think there'd be a couple of
guys probably there in front of him. But I think
MG summed out really well. Then he's doing everything he
can to put his foot forward to be there, and
he's just doing the right things for Pendanth at the
mom which at the end of day is we're going
to do play good for your club side, and if
you go on good enough for your club side, things
can turn out the right way for you in the
sky Blue Jersey. But yeah, I think I think smoke
is a fair way to put it at.
Speaker 2: The month, all right, where you go MG and Gal there.
So they think he's a smoker. Do you think he's
a chance He's he going to play Origin?
Speaker 3: He's milky Tom Jenkins going to play Origin.
Speaker 4: Look, I wouldn't have thought of it at all, even
coming into this season. He would have been one of
the few people that I probably thought that there's no chance.
But look after the start he's had, and look again,
we have to tape our expectations. Been three games, but
he's proven, he's proven a lot of the doubt is wrong.
Eight tries in three games. That's thirty two points he's scored.
Speaker 3: On his own already this year.
Speaker 4: He tries, he's just having a phenomenal start to the year.
And you know, some of those tries have been right place,
right time stuff, But there's some of them that have
been all individual efforts that he's he's put him been
an intercept that he's he's pulled off for He's done
some great things and he's really taking his game to
another level.
Speaker 3: And I'm really probably showing to the world that he
probably deserved to play.
Speaker 4: In the finals last year. And I haven't ripped him
out of that side. He played pretty much the whole
year in first grade, got to the finals the biggest
games of the year and and dumped him.
Speaker 3: So yet, but he's definitely in the mix.
Speaker 4: I think Brian to is definitely your first winger picks
because he's just outstanding. He's he's at the top of
his game as well. But I certainly think he's in
the mix.
Speaker 2: And then probably Campbell Graham.
Speaker 3: Campbell Graham, you've got the mark and winnow was he's
obviously like.
Speaker 4: He had a terrible game the other day, but he's
going to be in the mix as well as he's
an Australian representative, so you've got to look at him.
But Thomas Jenkins, I think he's he's certainly one of
the prospects.
Speaker 2: If he's not there, I think, you know, I reckon
he'll be in that you know that extent sort of
players they bring in this for a bit, Yeah, sure,
or at least have a look around. It's going to
be really interesting with Origin and whether they fix the
rules around this or not, because you're obviously you're going
to name six bench players. Yeah, and those bench players
essentially can't play for their clubs and that will be
the rule because you don't know you know.
Speaker 3: If you've got to get onto the field.
Speaker 2: Surely now we can move on from anyone else other than.
Speaker 3: Those six, like any sort of replace and players.
Speaker 2: I mean, surely they can go back to their class.
Speaker 3: It sounds like it.
Speaker 4: But yeah, as for Milky, what do you think like
he's he's been pretty impressive.
Speaker 2: Believe look, he has been very impressive. He does have
a few errors in his game. I wouldn't I wouldn't
be putting him in my new South Wales team. However,
the Blues needs some spark and they need something exciting.
And then obviously, you know you could argue, people would argue, oh,
you know, he's just finishing tries that Nathan clearly creates. Well,
guess who your new South Wales half back here? So
you know, maybe you know, do you do you? I
know that this hasn't worked sometimes when New South Wales
in the past, But do you just load up with
Penrith players and hope that the Resistant get your home?
Speaker 4: Like maybe, yeah, but Daily's your coach, Loriy Daisy your
coach obviously again this year, and you know he might
have other ideas. But if he's got twenty tries by
May when the team's announced twenty in May, almost pushing
breaking records here.
Speaker 3: You almost got to You've always got.
Speaker 2: To pick him. It's coming for you, aj, He's coming
for you. The other news this week, just in the
last little while, Luke Garner has signed a two year
extension with Penrith. Now you caught up with him. I
did have a chat about the new deal. So he's
Nathan with Luke Garner.
Speaker 4: The congratulations obviously, and when he came through, I was
very very happy that you're going to stay here because
I guess I was, you know, talk that the coups
I would have been interested in your services. I'm sure
they were. But you're stuck with Penrith. Happy to get
that done.
Speaker 7: Yeah, stoke to get it done. It's exactly where I
wanted to be. And yeah, luckily enough during the club. Yeah,
come to grandmen that I both get to stay. I
get to stay.
Speaker 4: What if you loved about being at this club for
so long? The premierships is one thing, but obviously formed
order of friendships and relationships and you love the fans,
but of course is that part part of the big
reason why you want to be here.
Speaker 7: Yeah, that's that's all part of the reason why And
I just genuinely love coming to training every day. Yeah,
you know that the coaching staff and everyone at the
club make it so be easy for us to roll
in here and enjoy enjoy our Daisy in every aspect.
Speaker 5: So it's yeah, it's just a great place to be great.
Speaker 7: And for them and everyone that comes here you know,
says the same thing, and so yeah, it's just.
Speaker 5: It's just a very special place of it. I'm grateful
that I'm here at this point.
Speaker 6: Yeah.
Speaker 3: And when you're weighing up your future, how much goes
into it?
Speaker 4: I mean, obviously your partner involved and things like that, But.
Speaker 2: Is it is it?
Speaker 4: Is it a tough to decide what you want to
do next?
Speaker 2: It is? It is.
Speaker 5: But it would have been harder if penwe that would
have been That would have been the harder thing. So
that yeah, so that makes my decisions, you know. There
was always option to stay. Yeah, yeah, that's that was
the main thing.
Speaker 7: And yeah, like I said, we've got an agreement done
and so I get to stay for another three more years,
two off this, but yeah that's pretty special and yeah.
Speaker 4: Excellent, good stuff. Obviously this weekend huge game. Obviously it
was it was a flag at the moment. But you
guys are equally probably better, going even better at the
moment than you know, if you probably have expected, right,
three games in undefeated, letting in.
Speaker 3: Two tries like pretty good starts.
Speaker 5: Yeah right, it's been good.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's been good.
Speaker 7: But then yeah, we haven't played the perfect game, so
you know, there's nothing to be happy about.
Speaker 5: And you know we haven't won a grand final.
Speaker 4: So yeah, but as a compector last year, this is
obviously a complete one turn around in terms of the
start to the year.
Speaker 7: Yeah, no, it's pleasing, it's definitely pleasing. The results we've
we've tilled up I guess the past couple of weeks,
but there's still periods in the game we need to improve,
and you know that's probably where we you know, last
last year is maybe getting Yeah we might have been
were too high on the solve maybe maybe maybe last year,
so and that's where sort of the bomb. So yeah, yeah,
trying not to get too high. Yeah we haven't we
haven't done anything yet.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 7: Yeah, we've won three games against a couple of teams,
but realistically we haven't done anything yet.
Speaker 5: Yeah, we'll see how we got the end the year. Yes,
that's the that's the big goal for sure.
Speaker 4: For a long way to go, but obviously back at
home as well, you know, your real home, but at Parramatta.
Speaker 3: Hopefully a lot of pend the fans are going to
be there for that one.
Speaker 4: I'm looking forward to just getting back there and sort
of getting real acquainted with that stadium again, because it
was a sort of tough start to the year last
year over there finding your feet, but I thought towards
the end of the year you're sort of stracked up
a lot of wins there.
Speaker 3: But yeah, it's looking forward to get back to combat
as we play there.
Speaker 7: But good Bettle of the West, so it'd be fun.
That's always pal always always know they're playing well now,
but they've always well again, I'd be exciting hopefully, you know,
plenty of pans and get out of the game.
Speaker 5: He had a good turn out of you know, saying yeah.
Speaker 4: I think it will be five thirty Saturday, I think
you'll do.
Speaker 3: Well done again.
Speaker 2: So yes, one hundred and thirty games that Garner's played
now he's then a pretty reliable member of that Penrith
team and now gets a rewarded with a two year deal.
Speaker 4: Yeah, like I said to him, I thought he was
I thought he was gone. I thought there was gonna
be that A few clubs that were after him that
wanted he just but he said Penrith.
Speaker 3: Penrith wanted me, and that was a big reason in
my decision to stick with.
Speaker 2: Penrithe good, all right. And the other news, of course
last week, if anyone missed it, the retirement of Matt
isasen Hooth, who was a mister reliable for for a
few of those premiership years. They never got to play
in the grand final. Unfortunately for Matt, so despite being
around that premiership winning group, never got one himself. I
presume he's got a ring.
Speaker 4: Something he would because he got close in the last
premiership twenty twenty four. He was eighteenth man. Remember he
was in that entire final series. But Scott Sorenson made
himself available for the Grand Final and it was probably
one of the toughest calls Ivan clear out to make.
Was was dumping Isoh who had on the customer winning
his first premiership and bringing Scott Sorenson back. So, but
the club's definitely looking after him, Troy. He's certainly still
working there. He's still in the mix. He's part of
the coaching staff, so expect to expect to see Matt
Eisenhoth's next chapter of his career at the Panthers.
Speaker 2: He'll be around. All right. Now, it is time, Nathan
for the prices right now. This is going to be
our finale. Next week. I will of course have the
presentation because last week, what did you win? You want
a scaff?
Speaker 3: We want to scaff?
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that was a that was you know, he
finally won something, So that was that was a very
good performance to do that. But yeah, so we've got
two now. For those of you who haven't heard this before,
this is Nathan tries to guess within fifty cents the
price of something on the Panthers shop. So you know,
we think everyone should should know exactly what the thing's
cost because you should be looking to buy your Panthers
merch and whatnot. But all right, Nathan, you're ready for
two more to finish this off. Let's do it all right,
here we go. Well, we are going to the Panthers
Black Diamond hoodie.
Speaker 3: Oh nice, A refined.
Speaker 2: Tribute to sixty seasons. This is pretty new. I believe.
The black Diamond hoodie features a clean nineteen sixty seven
to twenty twenty six chest mark, honoring the club's foundation
in six decades of progress. Minimal in design and finished
in classic black, it delivers a timeless look with an
understated impact. Cut in a relaxed fit with a premium
hand feel. It's built for comfort without compromising on presents,
easy to layer, easy to wear on game day or
any day. They're improving over there, shop, they're improving. I reckon,
they've dumped the chat GPT and they've got Darren Mick
left to right those.
Speaker 3: Can I have a look at this?
Speaker 2: Try?
Speaker 3: Is there any way that you can the screen with
the price being on there?
Speaker 2: No, there's not hang on there. There will be because
I'll be able to do this.
Speaker 4: It does sound quite nice, actually, I must admit it
sounds like something I would wear.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, there's the front of it there, so's the hoodie.
Speaker 3: Okay, do we know what brand it is at all?
Troy Panthers brand. Yeah, it's got no.
Speaker 2: No specific brand anything like that. Okay, just says Panthers,
very like, very subtle on the front, but it's big
on the back.
Speaker 3: Panthers, right, Okay, does it looks like it's pretty good quality.
Speaker 2: It does as I said, it's cutting a relaxed fit,
the premium hand feel, built for comfort.
Speaker 3: Right, all right, I'm going to lock in ninety dollars.
Speaker 2: Ninety dollars, so you've got ninety dollars. You think you
got it right? Last week? One hundred and twenty nine
to ninety.
Speaker 4: Nine for the Actually I was going to say one
hundred and twenty, but I thought that's quite expensive for
a hoodie.
Speaker 3: One hundred and thirty is even more expensive.
Speaker 2: Very expensive. But that's just out now, so you can go.
Let go check that out, all right there at the
Panther shop. If you what do you get?
Speaker 5: You?
Speaker 3: Would you would you buy a who do you? Would
you buy a jersey for that price?
Speaker 2: Because yeah, the same price. You're right, it's that's a
tough one, isn't it. That's a tough one. All right? Nathan?
What have I got here for you? And the last one?
This is our last one, Okay, I've got a Dylan
Edwards badge for you.
Speaker 3: Dylan Edwards Badge.
Speaker 2: Rep your favorite Panthers player with this limited edition badge.
Dylan Edwards playing through the twenty twenty twenty one final
series with a broken foot was a key cog in
the club's premiership tryout. He was outstanding throughout the twenty
twenty two season, winning the Nerve Cartwright Medal as the
Panthers Best and Fairest and Clive Churchill Medal as the
Grand Player of the Match. He made his Kangaroo's debut
at the end of the twenty twenty three season. This
badge is fifty eight millimeters in diameter and it's part
of a collection that also includes Brian to Dylan Edwards.
We know that Isaiah Yo, Jerome Luai and Nathan Cleary.
So beautiful and it's available now.
Speaker 3: Is it a colored badge?
Speaker 2: So it's like the badge is mainly Dylan's head.
Speaker 4: Is it like a It's like a circle, like as
old school circle badges get in certainly eased to.
Speaker 2: Show there it is there, Nathan, there's the badge.
Speaker 8: Yep.
Speaker 2: One other way to bewareing that you know when you
go interview Dyl, if you win this, that's what I expect.
That's in fact is the thing. If you win this
next time, you really right away the badge and see
if he knows.
Speaker 3: What can you get me? Can you can I get
even closer like further away than fifty cents.
Speaker 2: All right, Because you're going to do that, I'll give
you a dollar within a dollar, all right?
Speaker 3: Would a Badge be worth a Dylan?
Speaker 4: And I'd presume all the players are worth the same amounts,
whether it's a Nathan Clear.
Speaker 2: I don't think Jerome Lite is available anymore on the
Panther's website, even though it says that he's part.
Speaker 3: Of the collection. I'm going to lock you in seven dollars, Troy,
Really seven dollars with the membership discount? What about with
the corporate discount?
Speaker 2: All right? Well have to say you finished this with
a pig scaff you finish they I'm happy with that.
Speaker 3: At least I got something out of this this competition.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we'll come up with something else next next week
to start as we continue on with that.
Speaker 4: Is there any negotiations around the SCAF because I noticed
that there was a there was a men's version, like
a right a gray version.
Speaker 2: Oh no, no, we'll be getting in. You have a
photo on the week Instagram page for everyone to see.
All right, So pantas Eels should be a beauty got
extra time coming out this week. Mass Panther has nose
to the ground again, Peter lang We've got lang on
leag got the celebrity tipsters. Make sure you look who's
who's close to the top. Yeah, you know that's right,
the scoreboarding and be the face of the crawd. There's
all sorts of stuff.
Speaker 4: I think it's when places say that things are back,
bigger and better than ever. I think this is true
because we actually have three player features every week now.
Speaker 2: And so the usual too, and we've got they set it,
We've got that they set it, Quotes of the week
and things like that.
Speaker 4: Now we know that the Daily Mail, Yeah, who they're
all reading the mass Panther as well. Who knows what
he's going to come out with.
Speaker 2: There viewed mass Panther in two years on hold really
so certainly got people talking on the weekends, no doubt
about that. But yeah, make sure you grab extra time
in the print edition of the Weekend every Thursday. But
you just go to the Western Weekend that will comm
dot A U slash get a paper and you can
subscribe to get the digital version as well. And Melinda Sanders,
our photographer, is going to be at Comming Stadium on Saturday,
so she'll be taking lots of face in the crowd photo,
so if you see it, make sure you put your
hand up and you can win a about Harber Cruz.
Speaker 3: Yep, I have them sitting at my desk, Troy.
Speaker 4: So if if you're one of those lucky people that
are featured in our paper every week, come in and
ask for me and I'll hook you up with a
double pass to a Captain Cook Cruise.
Speaker 2: Yep. You're pretty strict on your verification.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 4: Yeah, Often I have to get the paper out and
match the face with the person in front of me.
Speaker 3: But no one's no one's come in and tried to
do the dodgy yet.
Speaker 2: No, okay, all right, well it's not encouragement. All right,
Well they said I enjoy the wedding.
Speaker 3: Yes, thank you on your well wishes.
Speaker 2: Hopefully you'll watch the game and be able to provide
some insight this week as we head towards what will
be an Easter weekend.
Speaker 3: Yeah, good Friday against Melbourne.
Speaker 2: It's been a long time since Penis played on Good Friday.
I think there was a game against the Warriors a
few years ago. Yeah, but but yeah, that'll be good.
So you do his head to the Easter show during
the day and then on the way home.
Speaker 3: Pop in, pop in and see get a Panther show bag.
Speaker 2: Get a pan of show back that is available this year.
Thirty bucks for the Panther Showbag. All right, that is
it for Tensions Running High. New episodes out every Wednesday
or was it Western Weekend dot com? Do you follow
us on all the socials and check out our printudition
out every Thursday. Download the Western Weekend or app as
well on the Google play Store or the Apple App Store.
I'm Troy Odds Nathan. Thanks for joining me. Thanks and
thanks to Penris City Automotive for their sponsorship to go
and check out the evs in the middle of the
petrol crisis.
Speaker 3: I think I need one myself.
Speaker 2: Yes, we'll see you next time on Tensions Running High,
Go the Panthers.