Panthers great Greg Alexander has hit back at the criticism levelled at Ivan Cleary and Penrith resting around $7.5 million worth of talent against the Bulldogs with calls for the club to double down next week. Cleary left NRL fans stunned on Tuesday having rested 16 players against the Bulldogs for what was going to be a blockbuster clash on Thursday night.
Nathan Cleary first revealed he wouldn’t be playing in the top eight clash, before news emerged the coach would be resting another 15 players from their best side. And it was confirmed when Brad Schneider was the sole survivor of the 17 that would come up against a near full strength Bulldogs outfit.
The Panthers have a number of reasons for making the decision with Cleary ultimately conceding the side won’t make the top four with the Bulldogs and Warriors ahead of them on the ladder. With the Panthers also playing at CommBank Stadium for the year, which is the Parramatta Eels’ home ground, they might also feel they aren’t getting a huge home ground advantage anyway heading into the finals.
And club legend Alexander feels Cleary needed to shake-up the competition to have a chance of winning the NRL premiership. Winning the title from outside the top four has been a brutal task alluding teams since the new finals system was introduced in 2011.
Alexander hit back at suggestions the Panthers were dudding fans for the round 26 game against the Bulldogs with an estimated $7.5 million worth of talent not playing. He claimed the final goal is to win a premiership, which he has done four times in a row. And since the Panthers have been doing it tough across the last 12 weeks, with two back-to-back golden point defeats, Alexander feels had every right to make the call unpopular call.
“Isn’t it about winning? Within the rules…the reason for the decision is about giving Penrith the best chance of winning the premiership. No team has ever won the competition outside of the top,” Alexander said on SEN Radio.
“Resting players now maximises that possibility of winning those four matches. After being last on the ladder after 12 rounds they have essentially played do or die matches for 12 weeks straight.”
“Yes, I agree with the decision Ivan has made. Over the last four years, the strategy Ivan has had around resting players, and not, has played a pivotal role in winning the premiership.” This is by no means the first time Cleary has opted to rest Cleary has often rested a number of stars heading into the finals, but the NRL minor premiership or a home final has often been confirmed for the Panthers at this stage of the season.
Greg Alexander calls out NRL season length
With the Panthers conceding they might finish sixth or below, it has raised eyebrows around whether resting this many players impacts the integrity of the competition as a whole. Commentator Andrew Voss claimed he ‘hates’ the idea of Cleary resting players, which is within the rules, as a neutral fan with the spectacle against the Bulldogs being slightly diminished.
Although Voss added players ahead of State of Origin are rested before all three games, which only justifies why Panthers coach Cleary could do the same before NRL finals footy. And Cleary’s decision has once again raised questions over whether the season is too long.
Earlier this year, Cleary hit out at the fixtures during the State of Origin schedule and claimed it was ‘unfair’. And Alexander said maybe if the length of the season was addressed, coaches wouldn’t have to rest players over fear of fatigue and injury.
“That is true, as well, that is true. The season is too long. I am just thinking about the players…do we see that as an issue. Is it an issue?” Alexander added.
Calls for Ivan Cleary to rest players next week
Speaking after the team lists on Tuesday, Joel Gould claimed Cleary should double down next week and to once again rest as many players as possible suggesting the coach’s only concern is reaching the NRL grand final. “Ivan cares about one date…you know what Ivan if you are listening, I hope you do the same next week,” Gould said to Bryan Fletcher on SEN Radio.
“Just rest them again and ambush the comp. The danger thing is, this is where Ivan is smart. Mathematically they would have been a 50/50 top flight to win it. You’re not even guaranteed to win it, you are going to send you great troops to battle.”
Matty Johns later agreed with Gould. “If I’m Ivan (Cleary), those blokes don’t play again next week,” Johns told SEN radio. “Maybe some of the younger guys but my key men in particular, they don’t play next week. I’m going to rest them, get them fresh.”
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