A message from Panthers Executive General Manager Phil Gould AM...
Please take a look at the list of impressive achievements pulled off by the Panthers this season so far.
- In 2017 the Panthers are the only NRL club to finish in the top eight in all three grades - NRL, ISP and NYC. The club had only managed to achieve this three times before this season (1990, 2004, 2016). This is the first time in the club's history the Panthers have qualified for finals in all three grades in consecutive seasons.
- Our NRL team finished in 7th position. They will play Manly in an Elimination Final on Saturday. Our ISP team today defeated the Warriors in a Qualifying Final to advance to Preliminary Final in two weeks' time. Our NYC team defied the odds to finish the regular season in second position. They will play the Dragons in a Qualifying Final next weekend.
- Nathan Cleary became the youngest player in the history of the premiership to score 200 points in a season. He passed the mark in the Round 24 win over Canberra at GIO Stadium.
- Nathan Cleary was the youngest player since Harold Horder in 1913 (for South Sydney) to finish as the season's leading pointscorer. Cleary finished the regular season with 216 points, 26 points more than his nearest rival.
- The Panthers NRL side have qualified for consecutive finals series for the first time since 2003-04. It is only the third time in the club's 51-year history that they have qualified for consecutive finals series (following 1989-90-91 and 2003-04).
- Anthony Griffin becomes only the second Penrith coach to steer the Panthers to the finals in his first two seasons with the club.
- The Panthers have become only the fourth team to qualify for the finals after starting the season with two wins (or fewer) after nine rounds. (Following St George 1930, Brisbane 1999 and Canberra 2002).
- Kiwi international Dean Whare played his 100th NRL game in the clash with Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium in Round 11.
- Prop James Tamou scored the 2,000th try for Penrith at Pepper Stadium in the 60th minute of the Round 23 clash with North Queensland.
- Anthony Griffin reached the milestone of 150 NRL games as coach in the Round 25 clash with St George Illawarra.
- Winger Josh Mansour played his 100th game for the club in the Round 26 clash with Manly at Lottoland.
- Three players made their NRL debuts in 2017 – Viliame Kikau (Rd 2), Corey Harawira-Naera (Rd 4) and Tyrone May (Rd 19).
Congratulations to all our players, coaches and staff. Wonderful effort. You all deserve to be playing finals football. Well done!
