The 2016 Penrith Panthers season was the 50th in the club's history. Coached by Anthony Griffin and captained by Matt Moylan, the Panthers competed in the NRL's 2016 Telstra Premiership. They also competed in the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines pre-season tournament.

The Panthers started their season with a string of close results, but failed to win consecutive games during the competition's opening two months. Over the course of the year, new coach Anthony Griffin redefined who was already well established within the team, and experienced playmakers Jamie Soward and James Segeyaro would later be released from their contracts mid-season. The Panthers finished the regular season with seven wins from their final eight games, securing 6th position and a place in the finals series.

Jersey and Sponsors The Panthers' 2016 jersey, made by ASICS, was designed to commemorate the club's 50th season. The names of all those who have played 50 or more games for the club adorn the front of the jersey, while the back of the jersey features all five of the Panthers logos, past and present. Unlike the black and teal colour combination used in previous seasons, the Panthers adopted a black and golden brown colour scheme in 2016. The home jersey is black with golden brown panels and the away jersey is the inverse. OAK Milk again featured as the major sponsor, with Hertz once more on the sleeve.

On three occasions during the season, the Panthers wore unique heritage jerseys to celebrate the club's history. The celebratory jerseys were based on jersey designs from previous seasons, but were remade in the style of the current jerseys. The 1967 heritage jersey, worn against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in round 2, was based on the club's 'Chocolate Soldiers' jersey from their inaugural 1967 season. The 1991 heritage jersey, worn against the Canberra Raiders in round 9, was based on the jersey worn during the club's premiership winning 1991 season. Likewise, the 2003 heritage jersey, worn against the Sydney Roosters in round 22, was based on the jersey worn during the club's premiership winning 2003 season. Listed on each of the jerseys is the names of all those who played for the club in that respective season.

Squad

Player transfers A † denotes that the transfer occurred during the 2016 season.

+ Gains Player Signed From Until End of Notes Sitaleki Akauola Wests Tigers Zach Dockar-Clay Parramatta Eels Benjamin Garcia Catalans Dragons (Super League) Chris Grevsmuhl† South Sydney Rabbitohs Josh Hall Gold Coast Suns (AFL – Australian rules) Zak Hardaker† Leeds Rhinos (Super League) Andrew Heffernan Canberra Raiders Peta Hiku Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Viliame Kikau North Queensland Cowboys Te Maire Martin Wests Tigers Suaia Matagi Sydney Roosters Trent Merrin St. George Illawarra Dragons

+ Losses Player Signed To Until End of Notes Sam Anderson Redcliffe Dolphins (QLD Cup) Lewis Brown Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Adam Docker Retirement Daniel Foster Easts Tigers (QLD Cup) Benjamin Garcia† Catalans Dragons (Super League) Jamal Idris Released Isaac John Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Brent Kite Retirement Apisai Koroisau Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Sika Manu Hull F.C. (Super League) Kieren Moss Parramatta Eels Ben Murdoch-Masila Salford Red Devils (Super League) Nigel Plum Retirement Sam Scarlett Brisbane Broncos James Segeyaro† Leeds Rhinos (Super League) David Simmons Retirement Chris Smith† Sydney Roosters Jamie Soward† London Broncos (Championship) Shaun Spence Retirement Elijah Taylor† Wests Tigers

Fixtures Auckland Nines

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 6 FebruaryGame 4 Wests TigersEden Park23–7Blake (3), Mansour, Watene-ZelezniakCartwright (1/2), Harawira-Naera (0/1), Martin (1/1), W Smith (0/1)37,000Saturday, 6 FebruaryGame 11 Newcastle KnightsEden Park14–15Dockar-Clay, R Jennings, LatimoreHarawira-Naera (0/1), Martin (0/1), W Smith (1/1)37,000Sunday, 7 FebruaryGame 20 North Queensland CowboysEden Park11–15Cartwright, GarciaCartwright (0/1), Martin (1/1)37,000Legend:

Pre-season Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Saturday, 13 FebruaryTrial 1 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsPepper Stadium24–20Hall, Martin, C Smith, Taylor, Watene-ZelezniakMoylan (2/2), Harawira-Naera (0/1), Dockar-Clay (0/1), Cleary (0/1)Saturday, 20 FebruaryTrial 2 Parramatta EelsPepper Stadium8–22Blake, MansourSoward (0/2)Legend:

Regular season

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 5 MarchRound 1 Canberra RaidersGIO Stadium30–22Hiku, Mansour, MerrinSoward (5/5)11,297Thursday, 10 MarchRound 2 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsPepper Stadium16–18Hiku, McKendrySoward (4/4)11,125Saturday, 19 MarchRound 3 Brisbane BroncosPepper Stadium23–22Cartwright, Hiku, Latimore, Martin Soward (3/5), Martin (1 FG)12,086Sunday, 27 MarchRound 4 St. George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium14–12Hiku, MansourSoward (2/3)12,983Sunday, 3 AprilRound 5 Parramatta EelsPirtek Stadium18–20Cartwright (2), Mansour, WallaceSoward (2/4)15,600Saturday, 9 AprilRound 6 North Queensland CowboysPepper Stadium18–23Merrin, Watene-Zelezniak (2)Soward (3/4)13,725Monday, 18 AprilRound 7 Sydney RoostersAllianz Stadium16–20Blake, Martin, Watene-ZelezniakSoward (4/4)10,117Sunday, 24 AprilRound 8 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksSouthern Cross Group Stadium20–18Fisher-Harris (2), Moylan, YeoSoward (1/3), Moylan (0/1)14,273Saturday, 30 AprilRound 9 Canberra RaidersCarrington Park19–18Cartwright, Hiku, PeacheySoward (3/4), Wallace (1 FG)6,721Saturday, 14 MayRound 10 New Zealand WarriorsAMI Stadium30–18Peachey (3), Soward, Watene-ZelezniakSoward (5/6)18,000Sunday, 22 MayRound 11 Gold Coast TitansPepper Stadium24–28Latu, Mansour, Peachey, Watene-ZelezniakSoward (4/5)11,210Round 12Bye Saturday, 4 JuneRound 13 Melbourne StormAAMI Park24–6MansourSoward (1/1)11,116Sunday, 12 JuneRound 14 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval24–31Cleary, Latu, Mansour, Peachey, Wallace, Watene-ZelezniakMoylan (0/2, 1 FG), Wallace (3/4)12,463Round 15Bye Friday, 24 JuneRound 16 South Sydney RabbitohsPepper Stadium28–26Cleary, Grevsmuhl, Latu, Mansour, Watene-ZelezniakCleary (4/5)13,080Saturday, 2 JulyRound 17 Wests TigersANZ Stadium34–26Fisher-Harris, Mansour, Merrin, YeoCleary (5/5)10,582Sunday, 10 JulyRound 18 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksPepper Stadium10–26Latu, YeoCleary (1/3)12,682Saturday, 16 JulyRound 19 Parramatta EelsPepper Stadium22–18Campbell-Gillard, Cartwright, Mansour, PeacheyCleary (3/4)15,251Friday, 22 JulyRound 20 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium12–31Blake, Fisher-Harris, Hardaker, Merrin, MoylanCleary (5/6), Moylan (1 FG)30,878Saturday, 30 JulyRound 21 New Zealand WarriorsMount Smart Stadium20–16Mansour (2), PeacheyCleary (2/4)13,026Monday, 8 AugustRound 22 Sydney RoostersPepper Stadium38–18Blake, Cartwright, Cleary, Grevsmuhl, Peachey (2), YeoCleary (5/7)9,653Sunday, 14 AugustRound 23 Newcastle KnightsHunter Stadium6–42Blake, Mansour (2), Moylan, Peachey, Watene-Zelezniak (2)Cleary (7/8)13,771Friday, 19 AugustRound 24 Wests TigersPepper Stadium40–10Blake, Campbell-Gillard, Cartwright, Fisher-Harris, Merrin, Wallace, YeoCleary (6/7)14,876Saturday, 27 AugustRound 25 Gold Coast TitansCbus Super Stadium14–15Blake, MoylanCleary (3/3), Moylan (1 FG)18,288Sunday, 4 SeptemberRound 26 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesPepper Stadium36–6Blake, Cartwright, Mansour (2), Wallace, Watene-ZelezniakCleary (6/6)15,411 Legend:

Finals

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSunday, 11 SeptemberElimination Final Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsAllianz Stadium28–12Blake, Mansour, Peachey, Wallace, Watene-ZelezniakCleary (4/6)22,631Saturday, 17 SeptemberSemi Final Canberra RaidersGIO Stadium22–12Peachey, Watene-ZelezniakCleary (2/2)21,498 Legend:

Ladder

Statistics

+ Player statistics NameAppTGFGPts 14 0 0 0 0 21 8 0 0 32 20 2 0 0 8 26 8 0 0 32 15 3 53 0 118 1 0 0 0 0 23 5 0 0 20 14 2 0 0 8 11 1 0 0 4 11 5 0 0 20 19 1 0 0 4 24 4 0 0 16 4 0 0 0 0 12 1 0 0 4 25 16 0 0 64 6 2 0 1 9 23 0 0 0 0 25 5 0 0 20 21 4 0 3 19 24 13 0 0 52 4 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 12 1 37 0 78 2 0 0 0 0 26 5 3 1 27 26 12 0 0 48 1 0 0 0 0 26 5 0 0 20 Totals 26 103 93 5 603

+ Goal kicking Name 53 12 81.54 0 3 0.00 37 10 78.72 3 1 75.00 Totals 93 26 78.15

Other teams In addition to competing in the National Rugby League, the Panthers also fielded semi-professional teams in the National Youth Competition's 2016 Holden Cup (for players aged under 20) and the New South Wales Rugby League's 2016 Intrust Super Premiership (NSW Cup). The NYC team was coached by Cameron Ciraldo and captained by Oliver Clark, and the NSW Cup team was coached by Steve Georgallis and captained by Zach Dockar-Clay.

Representative

Domestic PlayerTeamCall-up BE Leilani Latu Indigenous All Stars 2016 All Stars Match BE Tyrone Peachey Indigenous All Stars 2016 All Stars Match BE Jamie Soward Indigenous All Stars 2016 All Stars Match BE Will Smith Indigenous All Stars 2016 All Stars Match BE Trent Merrin World All Stars 2016 All Stars Match PR Reagan Campbell-Gillard NSW City 2016 City vs Country Origin SR Bryce Cartwright NSW City 2016 City vs Country Origin PR Leilani Latu NSW City 2016 City vs Country Origin WG Josh Mansour NSW City 2016 City vs Country Origin BE Tyrone Peachey NSW City 2016 City vs Country Origin WG Isaah Yeo NSW Country 2016 City vs Country Origin 181 Bryce Cartwright New South Wales 2016 State of Origin WG Josh Mansour New South Wales 2016 State of Origin FB Matt Moylan New South Wales 2016 State of Origin BE Matt Moylan Prime Minister's XIII 2016 Prime Minister's XIII match

International PlayerTeamCall-up CE Peta Hiku2 2016 Anzac Test WG Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2016 Anzac Test HK Sione Katoa 2016 Polynesian Cup BE Tupou Sopoaga International vs. Lebanon CE Waqa Blake3 2016 Pacific Test SR Viliame Kikau 2016 Pacific Test WG Josh Mansour 2016 Four Nations LK Trent Merrin 2016 Four Nations FB Matt Moylan 2016 Four Nations BE James Fisher-Harris4 2016 Four Nations BE Te Maire Martin 2016 Four Nations FB Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2016 Four Nations

1 – Selected as 18th Man, Cartwright did not play during the series. 2 – Hiku was initially selected to play but was ruled out by injury. 3 – Blake did not play in the match, despite being named in the original squad. 4 – Fisher-Harris was called up to replace injured Simon Mannering.

References