Posted
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary says the club has recovered from Michael Jennings' departure to Sydney Roosters last month.
Jennings ended a near season-long saga when he joined the Roosters a fortnight ago, a remarkable coup so late in the preseason considering the 24-year-old's stature as an incumbent New South Wales centre.
But Cleary is adamant that, despite planning all preseason as if Jennings would be lining up for the Panthers in round one, his exit has been anything but disruptive.
And while Jennings stated it had been emotional to farewell his team-mates, Cleary says he is proud of how his group has banded together and moved on without him.
"I've got to give massive credit to the players - it's like it never happened," he said.
"Honestly from looking at them and the way they've trained, they've just moved on. It hasn't been distracting at all.
"They're professionals. It doesn't mean they're not friends with him.
"I'm sure they're all friends with other people at other clubs as well.
"You've got to remember there's 14 new faces here as well that have never played with him."
Cleary says he had expected to have Jennings' services for the Panthers' round one clash with Canberra, but feels that it may work in the club's favour with half a dozen candidates to fill the centre spots now.
Recruits Dean Whare (Manly), Lewis Brown (Warriors) and Wes Naiqama (Newcastle) have impressed in preseason, while veterans Brad Tighe and Geoff Daniela are around, and versatile youngster Josh Mansour has the potential and physique to slip into the centres.
"I always planned to have everyone who started in the preseason," Cleary said.
"But it's an opportunity for someone else and there's a few options there.
"It's something we all forget, when someone leaves, a door opens for someone else. Not everyone is disappointed."
Regular full-back Lachlan Coote has trained exclusively at five-eighth in the preseason, with Whare and Naiqama also set to compete for the number one jersey.
"Dean Whare's trained a lot at full-back, he's a guy that I think can play that position well," Cleary said.
"He's got limited experience there, (he was) obviously behind Brett Stewart at Manly.
"I think he's got the skill set to play full-back and there's a huge amount of improvement in him just by virtue of experience."
AAP
Topics: rugby-league, nrl, sport, penrith-2750
No comments:
Post a Comment