Stephen Crichton, gone. Spencer Leniu, gone. Jack Cogger, gone. Zac Hosking, gone. Penrith have a lost a handful of players since their sensational second-half Lazarus-style comeback victory over Brisbane in last year’s NRL grand final, with Crichton and Leniu the biggest of blows, and maybe, just maybe the impact of those and other departures are now starting to be felt. Tiny cracks in the Panthers’ façade have finally appeared.
On Saturday night, on the other side of the world and in front of more than 24,000 fans, Penrith demonstrated that they are mortal after going down 16-12 to Wigan in an epic encounter in the World Club Challenge. After 33 years, and four different attempts at the trans-hemisphere trophy, they still cannot rightly call themselves the best club team in the world.
