In this week's Real or Not we consider whether James Fisher-Harris is the biggest talent loss suffered by the Panthers, wonder what has happened to players under the high ball, and ask fans to leave the coaches alone.
Read on as we tackle some of the big talking points in this week's NRL Real or Not.
The Panthers are about to suffer their biggest loss
REAL: One of the most amazing parts of the Penrith Panthers' premiership run has been the way they have coped with a steady stream of top quality players leaving for greener financial pastures.
The salary cap is designed to prevent teams from dominating for extended periods of time, as premiership winning players can rightly command larger pay packets. Some stay on for less money, while others realise they only have a short time in the game and opt to do what is best for themselves and their families.
This week another name was added to the exodus, and it may well be the most costly and damaging loss of them all. James Fisher-Harris has been granted a release from the last two years of his Panthers contract, allowing him to return home to New Zealand at the end of this season to take up a four-year deal with the Warriors.
Fisher-Harris is not only one of the best middle forwards in the premiership, he is the rock on which the Panthers have built their success. His leadership qualities are just about irreplaceable, at least in the short term. His running, ball playing and defence contribute immeasurably to the well-oiled Panthers machine. Of all the players to leave in recent years, his departure will result in the greatest void, and considering the following list, that is saying plenty.
The Panthers started 2020 after losing Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Wayde Egan, Sione Katoa, James Maloney and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, and that season they lost the grand final to Melbourne.
They started 2021 without Daine Laurie, Jack Hetherington, Josh Mansour and James Tamou, and that year they defeated the Rabbitohs in the grand final.
They started 2022 without Matt Burton, Kurt Capewell, Tevita Pangai Junior and Brent Naden, and they won back-to-back titles, crushing the Eels in the decider.
They started 2023 without Api Koroisau, Viliame Kikau, Sean O'Sullivan, J'maine Hopgood and Charlie Staines, and they collected the hat trick of premierships with an amazing fightback victory over the Broncos.
Finally, they started 2024 without Stephen Crichton, Jack Cogger, Spencer Leniu, Zac Hosking and Jaeman Salmon, and currently sit in sixth place after losing two of their first five games.
The Panthers will have players in mind to replace James Fisher-Harris next year, but props of that quality don't grow on trees, not even in Penrith's incredible nursery.
Catching the bomb is a dying art
REAL: It seems that players and their coaches are no longer sure of what to do when the opposition puts up a high kick these days. With the rules changing all the time and escorts, blockers, disruptors, and tackling in the air all outlawed, players positioning themselves under high kicks and those contesting look a little lost and very hesitant.
The Storm's opening try against the Roosters came after Jahrome Hughes put up a wobbly high kick from 40 metres out, which came down around the 30 metre line. Roosters winger Daniel Tupou, normally a gifted aerialist, showed very little interest in the kick, backing right away from it. Will Warbrick stood uncontested, batted the ball down to Eliesa Katoa who heard the call from his wily halfback Hughes who charged through in support some 15 metres infield. Katoa hit him on the chest with a perfect pass and he scooted away to score.
The Roosters answered with their own high kick which came down near the Melbourne line where Warbrick and Tupou went up for the ball, with neither ever looking like catching it. Instead the ball came off Warbrick for Nick Meaney to fumble and Roosters veteran Michael Jennings to pounce on.
The second Storm try came from another last tackle bomb, this time from Cameron Munster. It came down five metres out from the Roosters line where Katoa practically took it on his chest with very little height in his leap. Jennings was right there, but offered little resistance as Katoa crashed over with a bit of a shove from Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
Early in the second half the Roosters tested the other Storm winger, Xavier Coates. He had no trouble taking the ball in two hands above his head, but we are talking about a player who recently won "mark of the week" recognition on an AFL programme. Perhaps inspired by that effort, Tupou soared for the next Storm bomb sent his way despite the attention of Warbrick.
The next high kick from the Storm, saw Roosters winger Joseph Suaali'i allow Coates to take it flat footed, before wrapping him up and marching him over the sideline.
The high kicks for tries weren't finished, with 12 minutes remaining Luke Keary found Suaali'i who out-jumped Coates to bat it back into the arms of Joseph Manu who scored in the corner after a short dash. The conversion levelled the scores at 12-12.
With eight minutes remaining Suaali'i knocked another bomb on to give the Storm a vital six tackles deep on attack. At the end of that set of six another bomb was dropped under the posts by Manu under pressure from Reimis Smith who may or may not have shoved him in the back. The ball came to Shawn Blore, who passed it to Harry Grant who grubbered across to Coates who beat three Roosters to power his way over. The conversion put the Storm ahead 18-12, with all five tries in the game being scored as the result of ineffectiveness under high kicks.
With defences not permitted to protect their player under the ball, it seems that not contesting at all has become an option. It is fraught with danger, looks awful and results in some ugly and soft tries.
Coaches need to heed the advice of the fans
NOT REAL: NFL coach Buddy Ryan once famously said of the profession: "If you listen to the fans, you'll end up sitting with them." Today with the prevalence of social media, fans more than ever feel as though they have a duty and a platform to explain to coaches exactly what they are doing wrong.
Fans are passionate about their teams and hate nothing more than seeing them struggle. Most have an opinion on how to turn those struggles around and have no qualms about expressing those opinions. When you are fully invested in your team you see it all, but what may escape your notice is that every other team is copping the same or similar.
I recently read a post on X where a fan was ripping shreds off North Queensland coach Todd Payten over his reluctance to make key changes to the line-up. Another punter pointed out that the Cowboys are running fourth with four wins and that Dragons fans had much more to complain about when it came to losing under a stubborn coach.
If you go anywhere near a Bulldogs social media stream you will find hundreds of frustrated fans advising coach Cameron Ciraldo on the changes he needs to immediately make to the squad. To be fair several of these suggestions seem quite logical, particularly when Drew Hutchison is clearly struggling in the halfback role, when the club has other more viable options.
Still the coach sees these players every day at training, knows them as men, not just players, and has long- and short-term strategies worked out based around his selections. Ultimately though, if the coach turns out to be wrong and his choices fail, then it is his head on the chopping block, and all the online help from fans isn't going to change that.