Penrith supporters do you know who Jaxen Edgar, Jack Attard, Harry Armstrong and Billy Scott are?
Whether your answer was yes or no it doesn’t matter because soon you’ll know who this talented quartet is.
The club is currently undefeated in Jersey Flegg (Under 21) after four rounds while NSW Cup has won three games-in-a-row.
In contrast the first-grade team is struggling for the first time in five years and everyone wants to know which players are ready to step up to first grade over the next couple of seasons.
In fact, some of these kids are so good I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of them get a run in the top grade as early as next year.
The club has built its huge recent success on churning out first grade players from their renowned Panthers Pathways system and the odd external signing as well.
Unfortunately, the club has lost so many topline players over the last five years, a few youngsters have been called up earlier than expected.
It won’t be long however before the next group of players are ready to step off the production line and into first grade ready to make their mark.
If you think I’m just full of hyperbole, then file this column away and read it again in three years’ time. You’ll see how right I am especially with the four names listed in the opening paragraph but more on those players later.
There seems to have been a shift in philosophy when it comes to the Panthers selection process for kids aged between 17 and 19 playing Harold Matthews and SG Ball.
Over the last couple of years the club seem to be picking a certain number of players in each squad who are a year younger than the maximum age allowed.
They then see which are resilient enough to play against older opponents’ week-in, week-out despite the result on the scoreboard.
It seems to be working already.
Fullback Jaxen Edgar is only 19-years-old and playing NSW Cup against men five to 10 years older. Edgar is already being touted as Dylan Edwards’ successor after Edwards hangs up his boots. Big shoes to fill but if anyone can, early indications are, Edgar can.
Edgar won’t have it all his own way however as another outstanding young prospect, 18-year-old Jack Attard is already nipping at his heels. Attard is currently playing fullback in the unbeaten Jersey Flegg side and turning plenty of heads with his explosive play.
Another player turning heads is 20-year-old second rower Harry Armstrong who is also in the Jersey Flegg team. Penrith got under the guard of many teams including the Brisbane Broncos and signed him.
Finally, 21-year-old hooker Billy Scott is already a regular in the NSW Cup team and will next year be elevated to the club’s Top 30 roster. There are plenty of good judges who believe he could take over from Mitch Kenny in years to come.
The talent is there in the lower grades and it only needs time to develop. What’s that song again, oh yeah!
“The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades”.
Peter Lang
Peter Lang is an experienced sports writer, who has been covering rugby league for several decades. He first wrote Lang on League for the Weekender in the 1990s, and worked for Panthers on its famous Panthers Magazine for several years.