Why I had to quitthe game I love

NIGEL PLUM IN HIS OWN WORDS

BEING JAMAL: HISREMARKABLE LIFE

LOWER GRADES

FAN OFTHE WEEK

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Jamal Idris on life, love and his desire to win an NRL premiership with Penrith

Meet Penrith’s mostdedicated supporters

Holden Cup and NSW Cup teamsfly the flag

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I am predicting that the vast major-ity of you are reading this preview AFTER Penrith’s clash with St George-Illawarra in Wollongong on Thursday night.

Therefore, rather than spend the next 600 or so words talking about that match, I thought I’d write about

the next few weeks in general and why there’s still plenty of interest left in season 2015 for the Panthers.

Last weekend’s 24-10 victory over the Warriors was a relief more than anything – a victory that snapped a five match losing streak and brought a smile to the small but vocal, passionate and loyal home crowd.

Much has been said about Penrith’s injury woes this season and unfortu-nately we can only dream about what the outcome of this season would have been had players like Matt Moylan, Jamal Idris, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Dean Whare,

Brent Kite and Peter Wallace remained on the park for the majority of the year.

By the time round 26 comes and goes, there will be an extraordinary statistic about how much time Penrith’s spine (1, 6, 7 and 9) spent on the park together in season 2015 – and no team in the NRL with that sort of disruption would have made the finals, in my view.

But there’s been many highlights, and still a few to come.

For me, one of the most unheralded stories of 2015 has been the debut of prop forward Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who will almost certainly win Penrith’s Ben Alexander Rookie of the Year award later this year.

Named to make his debut in round one against the Bulldogs, Campbell-Gillard – incredibly given the injury crisis at the club – has played every single match of 2015.

The consistency of his first season statis-tics from game to game speak volumes about the type of player Campbell-Gillard is, and while he is not talked about like many of the game’s rising stars, you

get the feeling a breakout season is just around the corner.

The fact that Ivan Cleary hasn’t seen the need to drop him back to reserve grade just to ensure his head doesn’t get too big is also a strong indication that the 22-year-old is well-equipped to handle his promising future.

Without question, Bryce Cartwright’s season has been superb and while the 20-year-old has required a little closer attention from Cleary, he is a player with

raw talent, energy and a desire to get his hands on the ball as much as possible. It’s incredible to think he’s only 20 and has his best football still ahead of him. Sit back and enjoy his performances over the final rounds because I get the feeling you will see him sound a warning siren in terms of what to expect from him in 2016.

What about David Simmons? The veteran who just keeps giving, he was brilliant against the Warriors last weekend and is so reliable that I hope he goes around again next season – even if he only plays 10 or 11 matches.

And then there’s Cleary himself. The Dally M Coach of the Year in 2014, I’ll never accept an invitation to play poker with him – his bluff is simply too good.

He would know more than most what has really gone on at Penrith behind the scenes in 2015 and there is no question that the Trent Barrett saga, injuries and player movements would have worn him down – nobody deserves a little break in September and October more than him.

My guess is he’ll be back in the office preparing for 2016 sooner than we think.

TROY DODDS @troydodds

David Simmons scores a try for Penrith last weekend. Photo: 77 Media

MATCH PREVIEW PANTHERS

1 Will Smith

2 Josh Mansour

3 Lewis Brown

4 Isaah Yeo

5 David Simmons

6 Isaac John

7 Jamie Soward

8 Sam McKendry

9 Apisai Koroisau

10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard

11 Bryce Cartwright

12 Tyrone Peachey

13 Elijah Taylor

14 James Segeyaro

15 Jeremy Latimore

16 Leilani Latu

17 Tupou Sopoaga

DRAGONS1 Josh Dugan

2 Dylan Farrell

3 Euan Aitken

4 Peter Mata’utia

5 Justin Hunt

6 Gareth Widdop

7 Benji Marshall

8 Leeson Ah Mau

9 Mitch Rein

10 Mike Cooper

11 Tyson Frizell

12 Joel Thompson

13 Trent Merrin

14 Craig Garvey

15 Ben Creagh

16 Jake Marketo

17 Jack de Belin

There’s still plenty to love

FACT CHECK Penrith has won just

two of seven matches played at WIN Stadium since 1998

Ivan Cleary coaches his 250th first grade game this weekend

Penrith has won 12 of their 16 all-time matches against the merged Dragons

PANTHERS V DRAGONS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20 • 7.45PM

WIN STADIUM

REFEREES: ASHLEY KLEIN

AND ALAN SHORTALL

TV: CHANNEL NINE LIVE 7.45PM

RADIO: TRIPLE M LIVE 7.45PM

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PANTHER RUMBLINGS with the Masked Panther

SEND YOUR PANTHERS GOSSIP ATNEWS@WESTERNWEEKENDER.COM.AU

» Penrith already has a strong relation-ship with Papua New Guinea but that has been strengthened over the last week. Phil Gould was part of a four-member Penrith Panthers delegation that visited Port Moresby last weekend. “We are look-ing at a long-term partnership with the Penrith Panthers and we appreciate their time and this great opportunity as they are the first NRL club that has reached out to PNGRFL,” said PNG Rugby Football League Chairman, Sandis Tsaka. Among some of the points discussed was a joint membership between Penrith Panthers and PNGRFL programs which include the SP Hunters, a player pathway for PNG players into the NRL system, coaching assistance and the possibility of a trial match between the Penrith Panthers NSW Cup team and the Hunters.

» Sika Manu will depart Penrith at the end of the season to join Hull FC in the UK Super League. Manu is moving on after three years with the Panthers. “Sika is an absolutely wonderful person. He is also a complete professional both on and off the field,” Panthers boss Phil Gould said. “We at Panthers will be forever grateful to Sika for coming to our club when he did and for the tremendous im-pact he has had on our young developing players. We can assure his new club they have recruited a quality footballer and a quality person.”

» Nigel Plum shocked everybody with his retirement announcement last weekend – including the man photographed (above right), who we’re declaring as Plummy’s biggest fan.

» Penrith Panthers cheerleader Jessica Gilarte was this week named the Big League Cheerleader of the Year. The Pan-therette said she was “beyond excited” to win the crown after an extensive voting period. Jessica was featured in the Week-ender last week.

» It’s the great OAK shortage. Given the major sponsorship agreement between the Panthers and OAK, it’s surprising that so few OAK milks are available to buy in the food outlets at Pepper Stadium. In a major outrage, no milks were available in the media box last weekend either – and we all know that journalists love milk, not beer (not that beer was available either).

» The new TV deal has certainly cre-

ated drama at Fox Sports, who are now in a desperate bid to ensure they have a particularly strong offering for rugby league fans come 2018. The truth is that with Channel Nine increasing their live game count from two to four from 2018, many fans will cancel their subscriptions to Foxtel. Most fans don’t watch eight games a week and Channel Nine’s sched-ule will run across four days, and most likely include a broader range of teams given the NRL has ownership of the schedule. The new TV deal got very little mention on Fox Sports programs such as ‘NRL 360’, ‘Monday Night with Matty Johns’ and ‘Sterlo’ last week despite being the biggest story of the week, suggesting some major rumblings behind the scenes.

» Fans have constantly complained about the Broncos being on free-to-air tel-evision too much, but in a bizarre twist, Channel Nine has somehow missed out on showing the top of the table battle be-tween Brisbane and the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night. The game will almost certainly be the biggest rating match of the weekend for Fox Sports.

» The Panthers will soon announce details of a big day planned for Penrith’s

clash against Newcastle in round 26. The clash is a danger game for match day organisers who know the unappealing battle may struggle to draw a big crowd. A car giveaway combined with farewells for Nigel Plum, Sika Manu, Lewis Brown and others should help encourage people to come out on a Saturday afternoon, however. We’re also suggesting that Scott McRae does another farewell lap of honour similar to 2012. McRae produced the shortest sacking/retirement in ground announcer history, returning for the first game of the 2013 season and has remained an integral part of the Panthers’ match day experience ever since. John Farnham, eat your heart out.

» There’s whispers doing the rounds that the Panthers will produce a new jersey for the 2016 season to coincide with the club’s 50th anniversary. There was very little change from the 2014 to 2015 jersey design, so a change is inevitable in an at-tempt to boost merchandise sales.

» Panthers forward Reagan Campbell-Gillard was charged with a grade two careless high tackle following the game against the Warriors, but escaped suspen-sion with an early guilty plea.

PANTHERS LOOK AT FUTURE PNG OPTIONS

Is this Nigel Plum’s biggest fan? Photo: Andrew Farrell / 77 Media

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The decision to retire last Saturday night after the Warriors game was hard to make but also a decision I am more than comfortable with.

I recently suffered two head knocks back to back against Souths and the Roosters and I didn’t think too much of them, however a couple of weeks later when playing the Raiders, I copped a real heavy knock. For about four days or so after that, every time I sneezed or coughed I could feel pressure in my head.

That scared me.During that week I considered retiring

right there and then because I’d never felt anything like that before. After I came good and passed all the tests to play again, I made the decision that if I got another knock before the end of the year then that would be it.

I ended up copping a little knock during the final training session last Friday, there wasn’t much in it but I was dazed for about five seconds.

I guess the number of head knocks close to one another is what scared me the most and I made the decision to retire because of that, and I’m happy I’ve done so.

I went into the game against the Warriors last Saturday knowing it would be my last. I didn’t want to let the boys down, so I gave it my all.

The boys didn’t know I was retiring, only Ivan did, so it was hard telling them the news after the game – I was feeling very emotional.

It’s hard to explain the feeling I had when that final whistle blew, knowing that it was all over.

I remember with five minutes to go we were attacking New Zealand’s line and I looked up at the clock and thought, this is really it. The last few minutes were pretty tough but I really cherished it.

I’ve been at Penrith since 2010 and my time at the club has been nothing short of memorable. I’d have to say last year’s fairytale run to the finals and Saturday night’s game, my 150th, were two of the highlights of my career.

I’m extremely proud of myself and the career I’ve had. I’m proud that I was smart enough to pull the pin when the time was right.

I’m still going to hang around the club for the next few weeks and train with the rehab group. Even though I’ve retired, I still want to support the boys.

I’d love to get a job at the club next year, I’ve made a home here at Penrith and if I could stay involved somehow, that would be great. If not, hopefully I stay involved with the game in some capacity.

Finally, after many years branded as the hardest hitter in the game, I can’t go past Rooster Dylan Napa as the next in line.

Dylan’s a great young talent and has a bright future. He’s got the size and ability, and I’m really glad I don’t have to run into him ever again.

NIGEL PLUM

FEATURE STORY

Why I had to walk away

Nigel Plum with his two kids last Saturday. Photo: 77 Media

In his own words, prop Nigel Plum reveals why he decided to pull the pin on his rugby league career last weekend...

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On the football field, the 115kg hulk-ing frame of Jamal Idris gives the impression of an unbreakable, fierce and dominant character.

The real Jamal Idris, however, is anything but.

This is not a story about rugby league. It’s not about tries, tackles or premiership points. It is a story about a young, 25-year-old man who has the world at his feet, but doesn’t quite know what he wants from that world or what it expects from him.

It’s about a quietly spoken, often misun-derstood gentle giant whose true feelings are often disguised by a tough exterior.

Standing at almost two metres tall, Idris never expected the NRL stardom that he has achieved.

“I didn’t grow up thinking that I was going to be a football player,” he said.

“My first interview when I was 18, they asked me what I thought was going to happen. I said to be honest, if I play one

game, get man of the match and get a thousand bucks, I’ll go buy an old van, put a mattress in the back and travel around Australia.”

But over 130 first grade games later, his life is a far cry from that vision.

Idris’ physical features have been both a blessing and a curse, launching him into the spotlight, and giving him a life many would be envious of.

However, as grateful as he is, the fame and attention created personal struggles that have been hard to escape.

“I stick out like a sore thumb. My moods, that are roller-coasters, get noticed so easily,” he said.

“I can walk down the street and people just stare. I’m at a traffic light, and people are in cars next to me trying to take pictures. I’m having dinner with my mother and people are walking past with their cameras up trying to record me.”

The staring seems to bother Idris most.“I already get paranoid about people

staring, because I’m generally paranoid as it is,” he said.

“I always grew up thinking it’s rude to

stare, and when you tell them it’s rude to stare, they look at you like you’re the one that’s being rude.

“I’m just trying to live my life, doing the best I can with what God gave me.”

What is most misunderstood about Idris is that as much he does love football, it doesn’t define him.

“I love playing because I have fun play-ing. I don’t think people get that football is my career, and they think I should live and breathe it, but no, I don’t,” he said.

“People see me play football, and they think they know me because of the game, and style of play I play. I am so different to rugby league; it’s like putting a triangle into a circle.”

As a footballer, disconnecting from your job is difficult to do.

“People work 8-5 and say it’s tough, and I get it. But they get to go home afterwards and be themselves; they’re no longer their job. I go home and I’m still a football player,” he said.

“And people question why I left the Bull-dogs. Are you kidding me? You’ve never left a job?”

DALE DRINKWATER @daledrinkwaterOn the surface, Jamal

Idris has the world at his feet. But the Penrith Panthers star struggles to deal with the fanfare that comes with being such a recognisable figure. He is determined that football will not define who he is...

Being Jamal: Life, love and the NRL

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The last year has been challenging for Idris, who has been investing heavily in his friends and family since the break-up of his engagement.

“We were best friends since we were nine-years-old, so you do lose a best friend. You’re left in a world where your ground is taken away, and you’re just trying to find something to hold onto again,” he said.

Idris holds on particularly tight to his younger brother, who he feels under-stands him most.

“I’m thinking everyone feels lost. I’m not the only one, but I feel majorly lost,” he said.

“Mentally, I’m a person that’s out of time. The way I think, the way I see things, I wasn’t made for this time. Not many people understand me, so they sit there and say, ‘You have it so good at the moment’.

“My brother has never pressured me to keep playing because of money, he has always said that I have to do what makes me happy. I never had it in my head that this is what I was going to be. Yeah I have it good, but I put myself in a position where I worked hard, and my family did as well.”

While being sidelined with an injury, Idris admitted it’s hard to stay motivated, but has channelled his money and excess time into his family.

“My family is everything so a lot of my money goes to them. I’ve never needed much of it, look at me, look at the way I’m dressed,” he laughed.

After football, Idris said he just wants to lead a simple life.

“I know it’s not a job but I just want to be happy. I want a little place, just quiet, somewhere in the country but not too far from the water,” he said.

But it’s not over any time soon for the former NSW and Australia representative, who has a burning desire to win a premier-ship at Penrith.

“That premiership gets me. That’s the thing you want at the end of your career, to look in your cabinet and have that looking back at you,” he said.

The Panthers were one game short of the Grand Final last year but his best premier-ship chance came with the Bulldogs in 2009, with Parramatta ending that dream.

“You still remember things about that game like it was yesterday, and it still burns you,” he said, clearly determined to make 2016 a memorable year.

Ironically, this interview was interrupted and ended when a mother asked for Idris to get a photo with her baby.

He happily obliged.

FEATURE STORY

Jamal Idris will return to the football field in 2016

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Years supporting the Panthers: 28 years.Favourite current Panther and ex-Panther? Matt Moylan and Ryan Girdler.Why do you support the Panthers? They are my local team, and my dad, and his dad (Pop) have always been avid fans.What’s your best Panthers memo-ry? Easily defeating the Roosters in the 2003 Grand Final, and being there to experience Sattler’s legend-ary tackle.What’s your prized piece of Pan-thers memorabilia that you’d never sell? My Panthers hulk hand. I have had plenty of offers to sell it too! Would you ever get a Panthers tat-too and where would you get it? If I was to get my first tattoo, of course it would be a Panthers tattoo!

NRL LADDER & FIXTURESCLUB PD W D L B F A +/- PTS

1 Broncos 21 16 0 5 2 509 340 +169 36

2 Roosters 21 15 0 6 2 503 280 +223 34

3 Cowboys 21 15 0 6 2 489 412 +77 34

4 Rabbitohs 21 13 0 8 2 435 358 +77 30

5 Storm 21 12 0 9 2 432 314 +118 28

6 Sharks 21 12 0 9 2 382 416 -34 28

7 Bulldogs 21 11 0 10 2 444 422 +22 26

8 Dragons 21 10 0 11 2 358 338 +20 24

9 Sea Eagles 21 10 0 11 2 418 414 +4 24

10 Warriors 21 9 0 12 2 391 462 -71 22

11 Raiders 21 8 0 13 2 503 499 +4 20

12 Panthers 21 8 0 13 2 339 412 -73 20

13 Eels 21 8 0 13 2 376 494 -118 20

14 W. Tigers 21 7 0 14 2 389 474 -85 18

15 Knights 21 7 0 14 2 408 556 -148 18

16 Titans 21 7 0 14 2 371 556 -185 18

ROUND 24

Dragons v PanthersThursday, Aug 20, 7.45pm

WIN Stadium

Rabbitohs v BulldogsFriday, August 21, 7.45pm

ANZ Stadium

Sharks v TigersSaturday, August 22, 3pm

Remondis Stadium

Warriors v CowboysSaturday, Aug 22, 5.30pm

Mt Smart Stadium

Roosters v BroncosSaturday, Aug 22, 7.45pm

Allianz Stadium

Titans v RaidersSunday, August 23, 2pm

Cbus Super Stadium

Sea Eagles v EelsSunday, August 23, 4pm

Brookvale Oval

Storm v KnightsMonday, August 24, 7pm

AAMI Park

Extra Time Issue Number 025

PRINTED BY Spotpress Pty Ltd / PRODUCED BY The Western Weekender

EDITOR Troy Dodds / 4722 2998 / troy.dodds@westernweekender.com.au

CONTRIBUTORS Nathan Taylor / Kevin Kingston / Steve Hart / Stew Moses

SALES MANAGER Simon Gould / 4722 2998 simon.gould@westernweekender.com.au

MEGAN GLASCOTTPenrith

FAN OF THE WEEK

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Maliko Filino’s second half hat-trick including the 79th minute match win-ner has inspired the Panthers to escape Henson Park with a heart-stopping 20-18 win over Newtown.

With other results also going Penrith’s way, the win means that the defending premiers have secured a minimum top four finish with two rounds remaining.

Sam Anderson’s first try for 2015 midway through the first half cancelled out an early try to Jets five-eighth Blake Ayshford.

But despite having dominated posses-sion for large periods of the first half, Penrith were unable to take the lead before a Nathan Gardner try allowed the Jets to lead 12-6 at the break.

Penrith’s patience in possession improved immensely in the second half and, by midway through the half, they took the lead for the first time 16-12, through back-to-back tries scored by Filino.

The Jets regained the lead with 13 min-utes remaining from an audacious chip and chase try to half Todd Murphy but just as it appeared the Jets would hold on for their third consecutive win over the Panthers, Penrith snatched victory with the last play of the game.

A quick shift right inside the Jets’ 20 metre zone allowed Sam Scarlett to put Filino through a gap to score the match-winning try.

Whilst Filino was the hero with his hat-trick, Adam Docker produced argu-ably his best game of the season to date, highlighted by the return of some of his trademark brutal hits in defence.

The win may have come at a cost with Ben Murdoch-Masila (ankle) forced from the field during the second half.

This Saturday, the Panthers travel to Auckland to take on co-leaders, the New Zealand Warriors. There’s plenty at stake as the winner remains in conten-tion for the minor premiership while the loser will likely end up in third or fourth position.

The Warriors come into this game hav-ing escaped from Campbelltown with a 20-16 win over lowly Wests Tigers but historically have struggled with the Pan-thers having lost their past three games including 34-20 earlier in the season.

In team news, Brent Naden replaces Filino in the centres while Corey Harawira-Naera’s shift to the centres sees Chris Smith go back to the bench, which allows Junior Kiwi James Fisher-Harris to start in the back-row.

HOLDEN CUP NSW CUP

PANTHERS FLYING HIGH FOR WARRIORS CLASH AFTER SECURING TOP FOUR FINISH

They haven’t been challenged in a number of weeks but the New Zealand Warriors really gave Penrith’s Holden Cup team a run for their money last Saturday afternoon at Pepper Stadium.

With the Panthers looking to extend their winning streak to seven, the reign-ing premiers were determined to give the home side a real contest before the finals get underway in less than a month.

Penrith were certainly pushed to their limits during the 80 minute contest but managed to prevail in the end 36-28 to maintain their position atop the Holden Cup ladder.

Both the Panthers and Warriors were locked at 16-all at half-time but it was the visitors who pushed out to a shock 16-4 lead early.

Penrith managed to claw their way back into the game with their three first half tries coming the way of Jake Ennis and Jarome Luai, who snagged himself a double in the opening 40.

When players hit the field for the second half, it was the Warriors who opened the scoring to push out in front 22-16.

After absorbing a mountain of work in defence, the Panthers hit back through Corey Waddell to even the scores.

From that moment on, it was all Penrith

with young gun Reed Izzard barging his way over followed by fullback Dylan Edwards scoring in the corner.

With the Panthers up 32-22, the Warriors decided to once again play some footy, scoring in the 67th minute to make it just a four point game.

But with Warriors in a commanding attacking position on Penrith’s line, everything went wrong in an instant after a terrible grubber kick deflected off Panthers centre Brent Naden who was able to regather the ball and race away 92m to score.

Nathan Cleary, who wasn’t having the greatest of afternoons with the boot, missed the final conversion.

Penrith took on the St George Illawarra Dragons on Thursday in Wollongong.

PANTHERS PUT TO THE TEST BUT ESCAPE WITH VICTORY AS FINALS GET CLOSER

Penrith celebrates a try

BY NATHAN TAYLOR @natetaylor87

BY STEW MOSES @TheRiffMarn

KEV’S KORNER

WE WANT TO FINISH STRONG

Ideally at this point in the season we would be building towards a finals campaign, not counting down to

Round 26, but if you think there is noth-ing left to play for, you’re dead wrong.

The way the players and staff prepared and performed on the weekend was a massive example of that. As well as trying to make Nigel Plum’s 150th NRL game a memorable one, there are so many ripple effects that arise from finishing strong.

Whether it be finishing the half, game or season strong, the confidence it brings to whatever challenge lies next is so important.

The last two seasons we have finished in particularly strong fashion. In Round 26, 2013, the Panthers played Manly at Brookvale with the Sea Eagles destined for the finals as our season drew to a close. At the best of times Brookie is a tough place to win at but the boys rallied and got a gritty victory – the ripple effect being the team bounced into pre-season confident for the year ahead.

The end of 2014 was obviously a great finish, beating the Roosters in the semi-final, which no one gave us a shot at winning. To come within one win of a

Grand Final left the team’s confidence at an all-time high. This no doubt helped the team immensely through pre-season and we jumped straight out of the blocks at the start of this season with three wins from four games.

It’s not going to be easy over the next few weeks, with tough road trips to Wollongong and Canberra ahead of us, but that’s the way we like it.

Also a big congratulations to Nigel Plum on his 150th NRL game and retirement – he was an absolute pleasure to play with.

The biggest rap I can give the bloke is he made every team a much better defen-sive unit when his name was on the team sheet. With all the money the club is now going to save on strapping tape, we can build a new stadium. Thanks Plummy!

WITH KEVIN KINGSTON

Josh Mansour. Photo: 77 Media

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This time last week Penrith RSL employee, Patrick Silk, was nearing

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The weather was very kind to Patrick and his fellow trekkers as they took on some of the toughest terrain the world has to offer. With most days starting with a 4.45am wake up to eat, pack and start walking at 6.30am to reach their campsites by roughly 4pm each day.

The majority of days included intense uphill and downhill climbs, some climbs so tough they would take 3-4 hours to reach the peaks.

“The mental challenge we all endured was incredible, with stories of the young diggers fresh in our minds each day, there was plenty of motivation to get through the physical pain,” Patrick said.

The trek was an emotional journey that has been close to Patrick for a long time, with his father completing the trek some 10 years ago. “I am so grateful that Penrith RSL gave me the opportunity to do the Kokoda Trail, it was a dream come true.” He said.

Penrith RSL has also sponsored another 5 young local people for the 2nd trek of the Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge next month; they leave on the 19th of August 2015.

All images courtesy of Patrick Silk.WW15353

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