Optimistic and quietly confident is how Panthers Chairman Don Feltis sums up the feeling around Panthers HQ ahead of the NRL season.
“We are certainly not getting carried away so early because the NRL competition is the most challenging anywhere in sport throughout the world,” Mr Feltis said.
“The strong finish to the 2013 season by the Panthers NRL squad, the State Cup grand final and the outstanding premiership win by the under 20’s, together with the excellent recruiting program during the summer months to complement the already talented playing group, has our club well placed and in really good shape to go into the 2014 season and we are confident that we will be very competitive in all grades,” he said.
Mr Feltis has seen it all at the Panthers – he’s been there for the highs of 1991 and 2003, and the lows experienced along the way. He was instrumental in bringing Phil Gould back to the club, which has proved a master stroke.
“We have a very effective and professional team support and coaching staff, excellent facilities, with many exciting improvements and developments to take place during the next 12 to 24 months,” he said.
On the eve of the 2014 NRL season, Phil Gould admits he’s just as excited as supporters are for the upcoming year.
“I am glad that our fans are getting excited, so they should be too because we have recruited some outstanding talent,” Gould told the Weekender.
“The most pleasing aspect of all this has been the willingness of these talented and high-profile players to come to our club. Never before in Panthers history has the club been able to attract such talent.”
While Gould can be commended for having a major role in getting such talent on board, he’s also front and centre developing the next wave of local talent who are the future of the club, he believes.
“We have been steadily developing a number of talented youngsters in the junior representative teams that we believe will emerge in the top grade over the next two seasons,” Gould said.
“I firmly believe that over the next 18 months we will see as many as 10 youngsters make their NRL debut for the club.”
In January, Gould signed a new three-year deal to remain with the Panthers until 2017.
