I take your point micase, the Panthers are definitely on an upward path. They've put a hell of a lot into developing a team that'll be in the finals, and they've got some quality players.
To me though, this just looks a great spot for Newcastle's first game. There'll be some underlying pressure on the Panthers, despite whatever they say to the contrary, and the team will take time to gell. A lot is riding on how well Wallace and Soward work as a pairing, but great half combinations don't just happen whenever you put a top class 6 & 7 together. They didn't get an official practice game together, and there has to be some doubt about them complementing each other. We'll see. I hope they do for the Panthers sake, and I'm pretty sure they will.
My angle into this game is the fact that the Knights play so well as underdogs. Despite the fact that it's the players out there doing the winning and losing, a great coach like Bennett is a massive asset. This is just the type of game that Wayne Bennett excels in. He's got a knack for getting his team to work for him, and he knows Soward's game from having coached him at the Saints. I'm pretty sure there'll be an edge there somewhere. Either way, the preparation will have been thorough. I think anything less than another top 4 spot will be considered an underachievement by Bennett, if not by the rest of the club (I said failure before, but that's a bit harsh), and a win in this game would probably be of more importance to the Knights in the context of each team's seasonal aspirations (in my opinion the Panthers are realistically high top 8 material at best, while the Knights will have a slim show of a Grand Final appearance).
This Knights team does go beyond Jarrod Mullins. Michael Dobson is no replacement really. At best he'll do a job, but he's got plenty of experience. The team has its' fair share of talent beyond Mullins though.
I thought the Knights would start as favourites for this. Even with Jamal Idris out for Penrith the line hasn't really moved. I wonder what price the Knights would be with Mullins in? If he's that pivotal to the team's chances then the +110 available at the bookmakers currently would have to be, what -120?
Anyway, Round 1 is Round 1, and there's plenty to learn from this weekend and the next few.
To me though, this just looks a great spot for Newcastle's first game. There'll be some underlying pressure on the Panthers, despite whatever they say to the contrary, and the team will take time to gell. A lot is riding on how well Wallace and Soward work as a pairing, but great half combinations don't just happen whenever you put a top class 6 & 7 together. They didn't get an official practice game together, and there has to be some doubt about them complementing each other. We'll see. I hope they do for the Panthers sake, and I'm pretty sure they will.
My angle into this game is the fact that the Knights play so well as underdogs. Despite the fact that it's the players out there doing the winning and losing, a great coach like Bennett is a massive asset. This is just the type of game that Wayne Bennett excels in. He's got a knack for getting his team to work for him, and he knows Soward's game from having coached him at the Saints. I'm pretty sure there'll be an edge there somewhere. Either way, the preparation will have been thorough. I think anything less than another top 4 spot will be considered an underachievement by Bennett, if not by the rest of the club (I said failure before, but that's a bit harsh), and a win in this game would probably be of more importance to the Knights in the context of each team's seasonal aspirations (in my opinion the Panthers are realistically high top 8 material at best, while the Knights will have a slim show of a Grand Final appearance).
This Knights team does go beyond Jarrod Mullins. Michael Dobson is no replacement really. At best he'll do a job, but he's got plenty of experience. The team has its' fair share of talent beyond Mullins though.
I thought the Knights would start as favourites for this. Even with Jamal Idris out for Penrith the line hasn't really moved. I wonder what price the Knights would be with Mullins in? If he's that pivotal to the team's chances then the +110 available at the bookmakers currently would have to be, what -120?
Anyway, Round 1 is Round 1, and there's plenty to learn from this weekend and the next few.
