2021 Penrith Panthers season
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The 2021 Penrith Panthers season is the 55th season in the club's history. Coached by Ivan Cleary and co-captained by Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo, the Panthers are competing in the National Rugby League's 2021 Telstra Premiership. After the Panthers round 2 victory against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs the Panthers become the first team in NRL history to win the opening two rounds holding the opposition to nil as well as the first team to hold the opposition to nil in three regular season games in a row. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Bluebet stadium was reduced to a capacity of 14,077 in rounds 1 and 3; after this in round 5 further lifting of restrictions meant that a crowd of 20,890 would be allowed into the stadium. This large crowd, however, was short-lived as Panthers misunderstood the new COVID restrictions, meaning tickets for the hills were oversold. From round 7 onwards the new capacity would be 16,110 until restrictions eased further. After round 12 was completed, the NSW and Queensland state of origin sides were announced for game one, where a record 7 Panthers were selected to represent their state. As a consequence, in round 13 Penrith would have to play without 7 of their stars and 3 debutants for the club. After 27 straight regular season wins and 12 straight to start the season, the win streak was broken, losing 26–6 against rivals the Wests Tigers. Penrith finished second overall at the end of the regular season and went on to play South Sydney in the first week of the finals series. They would go on to lose 10 – 16 but after wins against the Parramatta Eels (8 – 6) and Melbourne Storm (6 – 10) they would set up a rematch against the Rabbitohs. In the grand final Penrith were the eventual Premiers winning 14 – 12, their third title and first since 2003.
Squad
Top 30 squad – 2021 season | Development Players | Coaching Staff | |||||||
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| Head coach Assistant coaches
Updated: 22 July 2021 |
Player transfers
A † denotes that the transfer occurred during the 2021 season.
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Fixtures
Pre-season
Date | Trial | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 27 February | 1 | ![]() | Panthers Stadium | 16 - 6 | Luai, Cleary | Cleary (2/2), Burton (0/1) |
Legend: Win Loss Draw |
Regular season
- TBA = To be announced
- Round 10 attendance refers to the total attendance on day 3 of magic round
- Round 16 was played without crowds due to the June outbreak and lockdown in NSW
- Round 20 and 21 was played without crowds due to lockdown in QLD
Finals
Bracket
Qualifying and elimination finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary finals | Grand final | ||||||||||||||||
10 September – Sunshine Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
1 | ![]() | 40 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | ![]() | 12 | 17 September – Mackay | ||||||||||||||||
![]() | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||
11 September – Townsville | ![]() | 6 | 25 September – Brisbane | ||||||||||||||||
5 | ![]() | 25 | ![]() | 6 | |||||||||||||||
8 | ![]() | 24 | ![]() | 10 | 3 October – Brisbane | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||
12 September – Rockhampton | 24 September – Brisbane | ![]() | 12 | ||||||||||||||||
6 | ![]() | 28 | ![]() | 36 | |||||||||||||||
7 | ![]() | 20 | 18 September – Mackay | ![]() | 16 | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
11 September – Townsville | ![]() | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | ![]() | 10 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | ![]() | 16 | |||||||||||||||||
Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 11 September | Qualifying Final | ![]() | Queensland Country Bank Stadium | 10 - 16 | Crichton | Cleary (3/3) | 18,224 |
Saturday, 18 September | Semi Final | ![]() | BB Print Stadium | 8 - 6 | Capewell | Cleary (2/2) | 6,011 |
Saturday, 25 September | Preliminary Final | ![]() | Suncorp Stadium | 10 - 6 | Crichton,To'o | Cleary (1/2) | 29,011 |
Sunday, 3 October | Grand Final | ![]() | Suncorp Stadium | 14 - 12 | Burton, Crichton | Cleary (3/3) | 39,322 |
Ladder
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 24 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 815 | 316 | +499 | 44 |
2 | ![]() | 24 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 676 | 286 | +390 | 44 |
3 | ![]() | 24 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 775 | 453 | +322 | 42 |
4 | ![]() | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 744 | 492 | +252 | 34 |
5 | ![]() | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 630 | 489 | +141 | 34 |
6 | ![]() | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 566 | 457 | +109 | 32 |
7 | ![]() | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 428 | 571 | −143 | 26 |
8 | ![]() | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 580 | 583 | −3 | 22 |
9 | ![]() | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 520 | 556 | −36 | 22 |
10 | ![]() | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 481 | 578 | −97 | 22 |
11 | ![]() | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 474 | 616 | −142 | 18 |
12 | ![]() | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 453 | 624 | −171 | 18 |
13 | ![]() | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 500 | 714 | −214 | 18 |
14 | ![]() | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 446 | 695 | −249 | 16 |
15 | ![]() | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 460 | 748 | −288 | 16 |
16 | ![]() | 24 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 340 | 710 | −370 | 8 |
Ladder progression
- Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
- Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
- Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 42 | 44 |
2 | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 |
3 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 38 | 40 | 42 |
4 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 |
5 | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 34 |
6 | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 |
7 | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 |
8 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 |
9 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
10 | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
11 | ![]() | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
12 | ![]() | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
13 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
14 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 |
15 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
16 | ![]() | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
Other teams
In addition to competing in the National Rugby League, the Panthers are also fielding semi-professional teams in the 2021 Jersey Flegg Cup (for players aged under 21) and the New South Wales Rugby League's The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup (NSW Cup).
Representative honours
Domestic
Pos. | Player | Team | Call-up | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
HB | Nathan Cleary | ![]() | 2021 State of Origin | |
FE | Jarome Luai | |||
LK | Isaah Yeo | |||
WG | Brian To'o | |||
SR | Liam Martin | |||
HK | Apisai Koroisau | |||
SR | Kurt Capewell | ![]() |
References
- ^ "Robert Jennings returns to panthers". 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Eisenhuth signs with Panthers". 30 October 2020.
- ^ "Salmon signs with Panthers". 22 December 2020.
- ^ "Sorensen signs with Panthers". 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Momirovski joins Panthers as Laurie departs". 7 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Blacker joins Panthers as Burns departs". Penrith Panthers. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Wests Tigers sign James Tamou". 18 September 2020.
- ^ "Jack Hetherington signs with the Bulldogs on a two-year deal". 14 October 2020.
- ^ "Raiders Sign Caleb Aekins". 15 October 2020.
- ^ "Tetevano released to join Leeds". 25 December 2020.
- ^ a b c "Tamou headlines players departing Panthers". 28 October 2020.
- ^ "Mansour granted release by Panthers". 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Wests Tigers secure Daine Laurie, effective immediately". 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Whare released to join Catalans". 8 February 2021.