Hassett’s memorable debut
About 50 of Harrison Hassett’s friends and family made the trek to Carrington Park at Bathurst last Saturday to watch the rising star make his NRL debut. Many wore specially printed shirts to mark the occasion.
Ivan Cleary told Hassett he would be making his debut early last week, but to keep it on the down-low. Hassett honoured the request, meaning it was a quick turnaround for his friends and family to organise a bus to the game last week. Thankfully they all got there.
Hassett will go down as Panther #629, and is a product of Hills Sports High School – who have now produced 227 first grade rugby league players.
Key off-field loss
Kristy Goodwin, who has spent the last three years working in Penrith’s game day team, has departed the club to join Venues NSW.
Goodwin was involved in a whole bunch of operations activities at the club and was well-liked within the organisation.
NRL ignores Origin
The NRL website was bizarrely not listing Wednesday night’s State of Origin match between the Blues and Maroons on the front page of its website this week. In its list of upcoming games, it jumped straight to tonight’s Women’s Origin and then the weekend of NRL matches.
The error, which was in place all of Monday, was finally corrected by the time Tuesday rolled around.
Spotted
Nathan Cleary carving it up at Blues training during this week – clearly enjoying being injury-free at Origin time.
Poor form from fans
I’ve been critical of Penrith fans who’ve been unfair in their belittlement of referee Belinda Sharpe in recent times.
It reached new lows this week when a number of fans pushed a rumour that Sharpe was married to the football manager at the Newcastle Knights.
It’s not true, and even the slightest bit of research could have proven it.
Panthers fans are doing themselves a great disservice by taking part in ref-bashing. It’s such a bad look.
Blaize of glory
The popularity of 2025 Panthers recruit Blaize Talagi is only growing. These fans were desperate to meet the five-eighth at Bathurst last week – even putting out a plea for his boots.
Henry outed
Penrith’s depth is really being tested during the Origin period and things are going from bad to worse with Liam Henry outed for two matches after being charged for a crusher tackle against the Knights last weekend. Henry was sin-binned for the tackle and it didn’t look good – meaning the club was pretty quick to accept the early guilty plea rather than risk a three match ban if he fought the charge and lost.
Stadium work rolls on
It’s hard to see our beloved stadium looking this way but real construction is now very much underway at Penrith Park. Fans are getting sneaky pics where they can (like the below) showing the famous red sets strewn across the ground and the grass being town up and overgrown.
Magazine discount
The Western Weekender has put its commemorative magazine, The Fourth, on sale for just $10 – a saving of some 50 per cent. Its companion magazine Threepeat sold out long ago. If you haven’t got a copy of The Fourth yet you can grab one at the Weekender office at Suite 2, 42-44 Abel Street, Jamisontown during business hours for $10. You can also get one posted for $14.95 by heading to https://www.westernweekender.com.au/thefourth.
Spotted
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary making a mad dash from Panthers training on Wednesday to Sydney Airport so he could head to the State of Origin in Brisbane.
Masked Panther
The Masked Panther is the most mysterious journalist of all. He has the inside word on everything happening in rugby league.