Panthers hoping third time's a charm in quest for world title

Almost three years to the day since the World Club Challenge was last played, NRL premiers Penrith square off with Super League champs St Helens on February 18 in a mouth-watering showdown for international bragging rights.

The Panthers are in search of their first WCC success after being defeated by Wigan in 1991 and Bradford in 2004.

The Saints, meanwhile, can make it three titles having knocked off the Broncos in 2001 and again in 2007, both times at Reebok Stadium in Bolton.

The most successful team in World Club Challenge history is the Roosters, who beat St Helens 20-12 the last time the game was staged in 2020 to collect their fifth title, one more than Super League powerhouse Wigan.

With Australian teams holding a narrow 14-13 lead overall in WCC matches the Panthers will be out to stretch that advantage as they seek to avenge those disappointing performances in ’91 and ’04.

Not only did the Panthers succumb to their UK rivals but they could manage only one try in each - winger Darren Willis crossing in a 21-4 loss to Wigan and hooker Luke Priddis snaring the lone four-pointer in the 22-4 loss to Bradford in ’04.

Making the job tougher for the ’91 Panthers was the fact the WCC was played just 10 days after their historic grand final victory over Canberra, while stars Mark Geyer and Brad Fittler were also missing.

Geyer had undergone surgery on an ankle injury and Fittler was on tour with the Australian side in Papua New Guinea, making his Test debut against the Kumuls four days after his Panthers mates had gone down to Wigan at Anfield.

The Panthers’ next shot at the WCC crown came in 2004 when they travelled to Huddersfield to take on a powerful Bradford side featuring English greats Jamie Peacock, Stuart Fielden, Leon Pryce and classy Kiwis Lesley Vainikolo, Logan Swann and Shontayne Hape.

The NRL champs fielded a near full strength side with only Ryan Girdler and Scott Sattler missing from the team that had defeated the Roosters four months earlier in an epic grand final at Telstra Stadium.

Sattler, who famously cut down Todd Byrne in a memorable cover tackle in the decider, had moved on to Wests Tigers, while Girdler was nursing an ankle injury that would keep him out of the first three rounds of 2004.

Having taken home the Clive Churchill Medal on grand final night, Priddis starred against Bradford as well, but the Bulls proved far too good in the end as tries to Vainikolo, Pryce, Swann and Robert Parker set up the victory.

Bradford also tasted WCC glory in 2002 over Newcastle and 2006 when they outclassed a Wests Tigers outfit missing grand final stars Benji Marshall, Pat Richards, Todd Payten, Mark O’Neill, Dene Halatau and Shane Elford, who is now the Panthers’ player performance manager.

In 2023, the Panthers will be without Viliame Kikau and Api Koroisau from the side that beat Parramatta in the grand final, with the star back-rower having shifted to the Bulldogs and the crafty No.9 to Wests Tigers.

Such is the premiers’ depth that they have ready made replacements in Scott Sorensen and Mitch Kenny, both of whom played leading roles in last year’s premiership charge and can slot seamlessly into Ivan Cleary’s starting side.

If the Panthers are to break their WCC drought much will rely on playmakers Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai, both of whom showed how serious they are about the St Helens showdown by returning a week early from their post-World Cup break to ensure they had a six-week preparation.

Had Cleary, Luai, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo, Stephen Crichton, Brian To’o, Spencer Leniu and Izack Tago not resumed training on January 9 they would not have been eligible for the WCC because health and safety protocols dictate they must have at least six weeks of pre-season under their belt before they can take part in a professional match.

Had the World Cup contingent returned as scheduled on January 16 they would not have been eligible for the February 18 clash with the Super League champions.

“The players have sacrificed a week of their holidays to come back early and have a six-week preparation for the St Helens game which means they give themselves every chance to be fully fit,” said Panthers high performance manager Tom Lovell.

“Probably the biggest challenge will be re-integrating these guys into full team training as quickly as we can so they can be back to full fitness by the time the season starts.”

For Elford, the sight of club captains Cleary and Yeo and the posse of World Cup stars back on deck was a huge positive in a tough month of training.

“The boys have returned in great shape, the senior boys who were at the World Cup have hit the ground running,” said Elford.

“The players know what they need, they are very experienced now, third year in a row, they know what’s expected.”

Having missed their shot at the title in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Panthers are sure to leave no stone unturned as they look to right the wrongs of 2004 and 1991 as they go in search of more silverware for a trophy cabinet bursting at the seams after three of the most dominant seasons on record.