Make no mistake Ivan Cleary is facing one of the biggest challenges of his coaching career as he finds himself in a position he probably thought he would never be in again – a rebuilding phase.
Yes, after four premierships in a row, as hard as it is to admit, the Panthers are rebuilding again. The sample size is now big enough to make that call.
Ivan could be forgiven for thinking he was back in 2019 again. The results at this stage are the same as they were six years ago, two wins and six losses.
Talk about Groundhog Day.
Like in 2019 the Panthers currently have a mix of experience and up-and-coming bright young talent.
It was the year Cleary thought about giving it all up if the team were to start poorly again the following season. Well, we all know how that turned out.
I don’t think Ivan is thinking the same thing for 2026, the bloke has coached a team to four consecutive premierships and knows a thing or two about rugby league.
But to make Penrith a powerhouse and one that can challenge for a premiership again is not going to be easy.
Make no mistake, I don’t think this team will be challenging for a premiership this season or maybe even next.
There’s just too much work to be done to the roster first.
The NRL salary cap has done its job. It’s seen a championship team torn apart by other clubs and the amount of top-quality players lost has been listed time and time again.
What’s different this year is, I don’t think I’ve ever seen players of the calibre of Dylan Edwards, Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo and Moses Leota play so poorly. They look tired and beat. Perhaps playing at such a high level for so long has finally taken its toll.
It’s not all their fault though, with at least two to three additional players out each week with suspension or injuries, it’s just too much to overcome when you’ve already lost three marquee players in the off-season on top of that.
Quite simply the depth is just not there to cover it anymore.
Ivan won’t admit it, but he probably knows he has a tough road ahead to build back a premiership-winning roster.
But it’s not all negative, he has built this team up before and one gets the feeling he’ll do it again.
In fact, he’s already started the rebuild.
In the positive, youngsters like Casey McLean and Blaize Talagi are going to be major stars. It doesn’t take a genius to see that.
The lower grades are performing well and look likely to deliver at least four to six genuine top quality first grade players over the next few years.
However to expedite the process there’s no doubt Penrith will have to go into the market and pick up some experienced heads as well.
Senior players like Cleary, Yeo, To’o, Martin and Leota are all contracted until the end of 2027 and none are likely to want a release before then.
Make no mistake, Panthers supporters, the club will be back on top again and vying for more premierships.
Furthermore, I expect a massive improvement and a return to Finals football next year.
It’s the biggest challenge Ivan Cleary has had to face in years.
But one gets the feeling he’s up for it.
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.