Coach Ivan Cleary of the Penrith Panthers has issued a dire warning to the competition by admitting that his team is still working to play at its best as they get ready for this Saturday’s game in Townsville against the North Queensland Cowboys.
After missing six weeks due to a hamstring injury, halfback Nathan Cleary is making his way back into the Panthers squad. The team just defeated the Tigers, 22-6.
‘Dangerous’ and ‘capable’ of creating serious challenges’ is what Ivan Cleary’s team expects from the Cowboys, he stated in a pre-game press conference.
“We are looking to build on our performance from last week,” Cleary said.
“All we are doing is attempting to assemble the puzzle’s components. I believe that at this time of year, every team experiences the same thing, and we’re no exception.”
“They have some tremendous players in the side and they are back at home after a few weeks, no doubt we will lift the energy there too,” Cleary said.
The Panthers are much better off with Nathan Cleary back in the starting lineup. Cleary replaces Brad Schneider, who did a great job filling in for Cleary during his absence.
Coach Cleary said, “Even though Nathan is our main playmaker, it’s going to take some time.”
“[Nathan] performs better than Brad Schneider; he plays a different style. He’s done a really decent job overall, but it’s a tough role to take on.”
The coach immediately praised Schneider’s effectiveness and flexibility, implying that Schneider will still be given playing chances.
Brad is a gifted athlete. He does the majority of the tasks in the game with great consistency. He runs the ball, tackles, and kicks the ball well. I really felt like he was a perfect fit for our system,” said Cleary.
The Panthers are excited to see Nathan Cleary back in the starting lineup as they prepare for the game, hoping he will assist “steer the ship” and help them stay on track for another championship.
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