The 2017 Penrith Panthers season was the 51st in the club's history. Coached by Anthony Griffin and captained by Matt Moylan, the Panthers competed in the National Rugby League's 2017 Telstra Premiership. They also competed in the 2017 NRL Auckland Nines pre-season tournament, which they finished as runners-up.

Squad

Player transfers A † denotes that the transfer occurred during the 2017 season.

+ Gains Player Signed from Until end of Ref. Tim Browne Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Jed Cartwright Gold Coast Titans Mason Cerruto Parramatta Eels Samisoni Langi South Sydney Rabbitohs Darren Nicholls Brisbane Broncos Michael Oldfield South Sydney Rabbitohs Mitch Rein St. George Illawarra Dragons Tony Satini Manly Warringah Sea Eagles James Tamou North Queensland Cowboys

+ Losses Player Signed To Until end of Ref. Braidon Burns South Sydney Rabbitohs Zach Dockar-Clay† Hull Kingston Rovers (Championship) Chris Grevsmuhl Released, later Gold Coast Titans Josh Hall Townsville Blackhawks (QLD Cup) Zak Hardaker Castleford Tigers (Super League) Andrew Heffernan Hull Kingston Rovers (Championship) Peta Hiku† Warrington Wolves (Super League) George Jennings Parramatta Eels Robert Jennings South Sydney Rabbitohs Samisoni Langi† Released, later Leigh Centurions (Super League) Jeremy Latimore Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Te Maire Martin† North Queensland Cowboys Suaia Matagi Parramatta Eels Michael Oldfield† Canberra Raiders Andy Saunders Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Will Smith Parramatta Eels Tupou Sopoaga Western Sydney Rams (rugby union) Malakai Watene-Zelezniak† Wests Tigers

Auckland Nines # Player 1 Dylan Edwards 2 Corey Waddell 3 Waqa Blake 4 Jed Cartwright 5 Malakai Watene-Zelezniak 6 Nathan Cleary 7 Sitaleki Akauola 9 Sione Katoa 10 James Tamou 11 Isaah Yeo (c) 12 Moses Leota 13 Kaide Ellis 14 Darren Nicholls 15 Zach Dockar-Clay 16 Corey Harawira-Naera 17 Tyrone May 18 Christian Crichton 19 Oliver Clark With club executives Brian Fletcher and Phil Gould questioning the necessity of the tournament, and a number of players unavailable for selection due to recent representative commitments, the Panthers fielded a largely inexperienced squad at the 2017 NRL Auckland Nines on 4–5 February. 9 of the 18 squad members had no previous NRL experience and only 3 had played more than 30 NRL games. Regardless, the team won all 3 of their pool matches, and progressed to the Grand Final, where they were defeated 10–8 by the Sydney Roosters. Waqa Blake and Moses Leota were named in the team of the tournament.

Date Round Opponent Score Tries GoalsSaturday, 4 FebruaryGame 2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs28 – 18Ellis, Harawira-Naera, Tamou (2), M. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (1/3), Dockar-Clay (2/2)Saturday, 4 FebruaryGame 9 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks14 – 16J. Cartwright, Harawira-Naera, LeotaNarawira-Naera (1/2), Nicholls (1/1)Sunday, 5 FebruaryGame 18 Gold Coast Titans4 – 22Akauola, Dockar-Clay, Edwards, KatoaDockar-Clay (1/2), Narawira-Naera (1/2)Sunday, 5 FebruaryQuarter Final Manly Warringah Sea Eagles16 – 12Blake, Katoa, MayCleary (1/1), Nicholls (0/1)Sunday, 5 FebruarySemi Final Parramatta Eels13 – 0Blake (2), M. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (0/3)Sunday, 5 FebruaryGrand Final Sydney Roosters8 – 10Cleary, M. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (0/1), Nicholls (0/1)Legend:

Fixtures Pre-season Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Saturday, 11 FebruaryTrial 1 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsBelmore Sports Ground10 – 20Blake, Cerruto, Harawira-Naera, KatoaDockar-Clay (1/2), Nicholls (1/2)Saturday, 18 FebruaryTrial 2 Parramatta EelsPepper Stadium18 – 6Latu, Martin, WhareCleary (3/3)Legend:

Regular season

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 4 MarchRound 1 St. George Illawarra DragonsUOW Jubilee Oval42 – 10Blake, PeacheyCleary (1/1), Wallace (0/1)7,283Sunday, 12 MarchRound 2 Wests TigersCampbelltown Stadium2 – 36Cleary, Edwards, Kikau, Latu, Whare (2)Cleary (6/7)12,232Saturday, 18 MarchRound 3 Sydney RoostersPepper Stadium12 – 14PeacheyCleary (4/4)11,044Friday, 24 MarchRound 4 Newcastle KnightsPepper Stadium40 – 0Cleary, Narawira-Naera, Martin, Peachey, Wallace, D. Watene-Zelezniak, WhareCleary (6/8)10,567Saturday, 1 AprilRound 5 Melbourne StormAAMI Park28 – 6MartinCleary (1/1)15,223Friday, 7 AprilRound 6 South Sydney RabbitohsPepper Stadium20 – 21Harawira-Naera, Oldfield, D. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (4/4)15,535Sunday, 16 AprilRound 7 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksPepper Stadium2 – 28 Cleary (1/1)15,780Saturday, 22 AprilRound 8 Parramatta EelsANZ Stadium18 – 12Harawira-Naera, HikuCleary (2/2)14,070Thursday, 27 AprilRound 9 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium32 – 18Campbell-Gillard, Merrin, MoylanCleary (3/3)21,464Saturday, 13 MayRound 10 New Zealand WarriorsPepper Stadium36 – 28Yeo (2), Blake, Moylan, Peachey, D. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (6/6)11,588Sunday, 21 MayRound 11 Newcastle KnightsMcDonald Jones Stadium20 – 30Moylan (2), Latu, Tamou, D. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (5/5)13,319 Round 12Bye Sunday, 4 JuneRound 13 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsANZ Stadium0 – 38Rein (2), Blake, Cleary, Harawira-Naera, Mansour, MoylanCleary (5/7)11,283Saturday, 10 JuneRound 14 Canberra RaidersCarrington Park24 – 20Cleary, Harawira-Naera, Moylan, PeacheyCleary (4/4)8,730 Round 15Bye Saturday, 24 JuneRound 16 North Queensland Cowboys1300SMILES Stadium14 – 12Cleary, Harawira-NaeraCleary (2/2)17,876Sunday, 2 JulyRound 17 South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium42 – 14Mansour, MoylanCleary (3/3)14,103Saturday, 8 JulyRound 18 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesPepper Stadium16 – 8Tamou, D. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (4/4)14,625Friday, 14 JulyRound 19 New Zealand WarriorsMount Smart Stadium22 – 34Cleary (3), Blake, Harawira-Naera, MayCleary (5/6)13,076Saturday, 22 JulyRound 20 Gold Coast TitansPepper Stadium24 – 16Blake (2), Moylan, D. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (4/5)11,480Thursday, 27 JulyRound 21 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsPepper Stadium16 – 8Peachey, Wallace, D. Watene-ZelezniakCleary (2/4) 8,727Sunday, 6 AugustRound 22 Wests TigersPepper Stadium28 – 14D. Watene-Zelezniak (2), Edwards, May, PeacheyCleary (4/5)15,780Saturday, 12 AugustRound 23 North Queensland CowboysPepper Stadium24 – 16Cleary (2), Mansour, TamouCleary (4/4)12,357Sunday, 20 AugustRound 24 Canberra RaidersGIO Stadium22 – 26Blake, Cleary, Mansour, MayCleary (5/5)14,818Sunday, 27 AugustRound 25 St. George Illawarra DragonsPepper Stadium14 – 16Mansour, MayCleary (3/3)18,848Saturday, 2 SeptemberRound 26 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesLottoland28 – 12Campbell-Gillard, MayCleary (2/2)14,423 Legend:

Finals

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 9 SeptemberElimination Final Manly Warringah Sea EaglesAllianz Stadium10 – 22Cartwright (2), PeacheyCleary (5/5)15,408Friday, 15 SeptemberSemi Final Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium13 – 6Campbell-GillardCleary (1/1)38,623 Legend:

Statistics Name App T G FG Pts 25 7 0 0 0 0 23 23 7 0 0 28 30 19 0 0 0 0 24 26 3 0 0 12 23 14 2 0 0 8 20 26 11 92/102 0 228 21 16 2 0 0 8 22 14 0 0 0 0 23 21 7 0 0 28 25 9 1 0 0 4 22 12 0 0 0 0 22 9 1 0 0 4 24 19 2 0 0 8 22 10 0 0 0 0 27 15 5 0 0 20 22 7 2 0 0 8 21 9 5 0 0 20 28 22 1 0 0 4 26 18 8 0 0 32 27 1 1 0 0 4 26 25 8 0 0 32 27 5 2 0 0 8 29 26 3 0 0 12 32 19 2 0/1 0 8 22 24 9 0 0 36 26 1 0 0 0 0 27 18 3 0 0 12 23 25 2 0 0 8 28 players 26 87 92/103 0 532

Ladder

Other teams In addition to competing in the National Rugby League, the Panthers also fielded semi-professional teams in the National Youth Competition's 2017 Holden Cup (Under-20s) and the New South Wales Rugby League's 2017 Intrust Super Premiership (NSW Cup). The NYC team was coached by Garth Brennan and captained by Wayde Egan, and the NSW Cup team was coached by David Tangata-Toa and captained by Sione Katoa in early rounds and Darren Nicholls in later rounds.

The club won the 2017 New South Wales Cup season and the 2017 NRL State Championship.

Finals

Representative honours Domestic PlayerTeamCall-up Ref. BE Leilani Latu Indigenous All Stars 2017 All Stars match BE Tyrone Peachey PR Reagan Campbell-Gillard World All Stars SR Bryce Cartwright Bryce Cartwright NSW City 2017 City vs Country Origin BE Nathan Cleary FB Matt Moylan CE Tyrone Peachey PR James Tamou 18 Matt Moylan New South Wales 2017 State of Origin 18 Trent Merrin

International PlayerTeamCall-up Ref. LK Trent Merrin 2017 Anzac Test WG Dallin Watene-Zelezniak CE Dean Whare CE Waqa Blake 2017 Pacific Test vs Tonga SR Viliame Kikau BE Sione Katoa 2017 Pacific Test vs Fiji 18 Samisoni Langi PR Leilani Latu PR Cowen Epere 2017 Pre-World Cup Test vs Italy BE Reagan Campbell-Gillard 2017 World Cup WG Josh Mansour SR Viliame Kikau WG Mason Cerruto WG Dallin Watene-Zelezniak CE Dean Whare FE Jarome Luai CE Lachlan Stein BE Sione Katoa

References