Panthers Greatest Grand Final Team - Bench

[Mutley]

After a bit of thought, I’ve decided to work it like this:

Up to 8 votes each

If we have a clear top 4, they will be our bench

If we don’t have a clear top 4, but do have a clear top 8, that will be our bench

If neither scenario happens, we will do a tie breaker on the option that has the least number of players competing for the most number of spots (if both equal, will revert to top 4)

In the case of double tie breaker, all tied players will receive a spot on an extended bench.

All run on players not already selected are available for bench spots. Will only add profiles of players who came off the bench in Grand Finals

• David Greene
• Greg Barwick
• Dylan Edwards
• Alan McIndoe
• Paul Smith
• Graham Mackay
• Luke Lewis
• Brian To’o
• Col Bentley
• Paul Whatuira
• Tyrone May
• Stephen Chrichton
• Brad Izzard
• Steve Carter
• Jerome Luai
• Craig Gower
• Nathan Cleary
• Paul Clarke
• Barry Walker
• Paul Dunn
• Joel Clinton
• James Tamou
• Luke Priddis
• Apisai Koroisau
• Joe Galuvao
• Tony Puletua
• Villiame Kikau
• Liam Martin
• Chris Mortimer
• Colin Van Der Voort
• Isaiah Yeo
• Joe Vitanza
• Ben Ross
• Trent Waterhouse
• Shane Rodney
• Luke Swain
• Brent Naden
• Kurt Capewell
• Moses Leota
• Zane Tetevano

[Mutley]

JOE VITANZA (1990)

A St Dominics junior, he made his first grade debut in 1984, playing 35 games over 4 seasons, scoring 3 tries.

Moving to the Gold Coast Giants in 1988, he played 27 games over 2 seasons, scoring once.

He returned to Penrith in 1990, and played 28 games over 2 seasons, including the 1990 Grand Final.

He finished his career with the Sharks, playing just one game in 1992, ironically against Panthers.

[Mutley]

BEN ROSS (2003)

A Nambour Crushers junior, he was recruited by Dragons in 2002, playing 8 games.

Joining Panthers in 2003, he played 56/games over 3 seasons, including the 2003 Grand Final. He scored 4 tries.

Moving to the Sharks in 2006, he played 45 games over 4 seasons, scoring twice.

Recruited by Souths in 2010, he played 24 games over 2 seasons, scoring once.

Returning to Sharks in 2012, he played 41 games over 2 seasons, scoring once.

He represented Queensland on 6 occasions.

[Mutley]

TRENT WATERHOUSE (2003)

An Emu Plains junior, he made his first grade debut in 2002, and played 187 games over 10 seasons, including the 2003 Grand Final. He scored 39 tries & kicked 1 goal.

He moved to Warrington in 2012, where he played 59 games over 3 seasons, scoring 18 tries.

He represented City Origin 3 times.

He represented NSW 5 times.

He represented Australia 12 times, scoring 3 times.

He represented Exiles once.

[Mutley]

SHANE RODNEY (2003)

A Riverstone & Emu Plains junior, he made his first grade debut in 2002, playing 79 games over 7 seasons, including the 2003 Grand Final. He scored 11 tries & kicked 9 goals.

He moved to Manly in 2009, playing 52 games over 3 seasons, including the 2011 Grand Final. He scored 3 tries & kicked 16 goals.

He moved to London Broncos in 2012, playing 33 games over 4 seasons. He scored 4 tries & kicked 16 goals.

He represented City Origin once.

[Mutley]

LUKE SWAIN (2003)

A St Mary’s junior, he made his first grade debut in 2003, playing 78 games over 4 seasons, including the 2003 Grand Final. He scored 6 tries.

A foundation player for Gold Coast Titans in 2007, he played 34 games over 2 seasons, scoring once.

He moved to Salford City Reds in 2009, playing 58 games over 2 seasons, scoring 4 tries.

[Mutley]

BRENT NADEN (2020)

A Wellington Cowboys junior & Patrician Brothers Blacktown representative, he played lower grades at Penrith & Canberra, before making his first grade debut at Penrith in 2019. He has played 30 games including the 2020 Grand Final, scoring 20 tries.

[Mutley]

KURT CAPEWELL (2020)

A Charleville & North Ipswich Jets junior, he spent time in the Broncos & Roosters juniors, before being recruited to Sharks. Making his first grade debut in 2016, he played 64 games over 4 seasons, scoring 6 tries.

Recruited by Panthers in 2020, he has played 9 games including the 2020 Grand Final, scoring 4 tries.

He has represented Queensland 3 times.

[Mutley]

MOSES LEOTA (2020)

A St Mary’s junior, he made his first grade debut in 2016, and has played 81 games, including the 2020 Grand Final. He has scored 5 tries.

He has represented Samoa 9’s three times, scoring twice.

[Mutley]

ZANE TETEVANO (2020)

A Pacific Sharks junior, he was recruited into the Knights junior league. He made his first grade debut for Knights in 2011 & played 29 games over 4 seasons, scoring twice.

He played lower grades with Manly in 2015-16, before being recruited by Roosters in 2017, where he would play 74 games over 3 seasons, including the 2018 Grand Final (he was also named in the 2019 Grand Final squad, but was omitted before kickoff). He scored once for the Roosters.

Recruited by Panthers in 2020, he would make 19 appearances for the club, including the 2020 Grand Final.

He has represented Cook Islands on 5 occasions, and New Zealand 3 times.

[Mutley]

I don’t remember a great deal about Vitanza, other than he was a solid performer in a very good pack in the late 80s & early 90s.

I didn’t know a lot about Ross before his arrival at Penrith, but he instantly gained my respect after his run in with Tallis during his first game with us.

Waterhouse will be remembered as one of our better forwards during some tough times.

Rodney was always a solid performer for us. One of my favourite memories of him was during our game in Canberra in 03, when he ran 70-80m to score a try, shocking a number of the Canberra faithful.

Swain was a smaller forward who regularly punched above his weight.

Naden probably shouldn’t be on this list, but in saying that, I doubt he would have beaten Fittler or Girdler for a spot in the run in team anyway. If he continues to perform, he could go down as one of our best centres and highest try scorers.

Capewell is a classy player, who can slot into a number of positions. Injury cruelled his first season with us, but he showed his worth when he was on the paddock, especially during SOO.

Leota is a quiet toiler, who never takes a backward step.

Tetevano was invaluable in his season with us. His impact off the bench kept us rolling forward after our starters went off.

[mrwalker]

I think this is even harder than picking the original 13, if that’s possible. At least for the starters, you were selecting like for like in terms of positions.
I guess it’s whether you choose to select and ‘all-stars’ lineup, or a bench to play the game ie for 4 man bench, a utility & 3 forwards.
I elected to go for 8 Gower, Yeo, Lewis, Puletua, Kikau, Izzard, Van Der Voort & Clinton as a compromise. If pressed to just 4 it would be Gower, Yeo, Puletua & Kikau.

[Kevin]

I picked my first 4 as if they were bench for the game, Blizzard, Puletua, Yeo and Gower, then went with Rodney, Waterhouse, Lewis (not the wing Lewis even though that was his spot lol) and Barry Walker.

[SouthernHillFan]

Arn’t you missing Ben Alexander? Bench ‘91?

Or has my memory gone all soft lol

[Mutley]

Didn’t take the field, so left him out.

[SouthernHillFan]

Makes sense, same reason for not including Waddell in ‘90 I guess, though the bench rules were different in 90 from memory.

The way the votes going, looks like Pulatua and Yeo may have to interchange the front row lol

[Mutley]

I think the bench rules changed around about the time of Super League. Pretty sure that was the year they streamlined it so that 4 players were named each week, instead of a random number, with players coming up from lower grades to fill in too.

[Kevin]

SHF - in the modern game Big T and Yeo easily fit the bill of middle forwards, imagine Big T running off a quick play the ball in the modern game, he would be our Taumalolo