# 2021 Penrith Panthers season

The 2021 Penrith Panthers season is the 55th season in the club's history. Coached by Ivan Cleary and co-captained by Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo, the Panthers are competing in the National Rugby League's 2021 Telstra Premiership. After the Panthers round 2 victory against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs the Panthers become the first team in NRL history to win the opening two rounds holding the opposition to nil as well as the first team to hold the opposition to nil in three regular season games in a row. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Bluebet stadium was reduced to a capacity of 14,077 in rounds 1 and 3; after this in round 5 further lifting of restrictions meant that a crowd of 20,890 would be allowed into the stadium. This large crowd, however, was short-lived as Panthers misunderstood the new COVID restrictions, meaning tickets for the hills were oversold. From round 7 onwards the new capacity would be 16,110 until restrictions eased further. After round 12 was completed, the NSW and Queensland state of origin sides were announced for game one, where a record 7 Panthers were selected to represent their state. As a consequence, in round 13 Penrith would have to play without 7 of their stars and 3 debutants for the club. After 27 straight regular season wins and 12 straight to start the season, the win streak was broken, losing 26–6 against rivals the Wests Tigers. Penrith finished second overall at the end of the regular season and went on to play South Sydney in the first week of the finals series. They would go on to lose 10 – 16 but after wins against the Parramatta Eels (8 – 6) and Melbourne Storm (6 – 10) they would set up a rematch against the Rabbitohs. In the grand final Penrith were the eventual Premiers winning 14 – 12, their third title and first since 2003.

## Squad
### Player transfers

A † denotes that the transfer occurred during the 2021 season.
Gains :
| Player | Signed from | Until end of |
| Robert Jennings | Wests Tigers | 2021 |
| Matt Eisenhuth | Wests Tigers | 2022 |
| Jaeman Salmon | Parramatta Eels | 2021 |
| Scott Sorensen | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 2021 |
| Paul Momirovski | Wests Tigers | 2022 |
| Eddie Blacker† | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 2021 |
Losses :
| Player | Signed To | Until End of |
| James Tamou | Wests Tigers | 2022 |
| Jack Hetherington | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 2022 |
| Caleb Aekins | Canberra Raiders | 2021 |
| Zane Tetevano | Leeds Rhinos (Super League) | 2023 |
| Malakai Watene-Zelezniak | Retired | – |
| Josh Mansour | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 2022 |
| Daine Laurie | Wests Tigers | 2023 |
| Dean Whare | Catalans Dragons (Super League) | 2022 |
| Billy Burns† | St. George Illawarra Dragons | |
| Pat Hollis | Released | – |
| Brayden McGrady | Released | – |

## Fixtures
### Pre-season

| Date | Trial | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals |
| Saturday, 27 February | 1 | Parramatta Eels | Panthers Stadium | 16 - 6 | Luai, Cleary | Cleary (2/2), Burton (0/1) |
| Legend: Win Loss Draw |||||||

### Regular season

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance |
| Saturday, 13 March | 1 | North Queensland Cowboys | Panthers Stadium | 24 – 0 | Capewell, Edwards, To'o, Yeo | Cleary (4/5) | 14,077 |
| Saturday, 20 March | 2 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Bankwest Stadium | 0 – 28 | Kikau (2), May, Momirovski (2) | Cleary (2/3), Crichton (2/2) | 5,062 |
| Thursday, 25 March | 3 | Melbourne Storm | BlueBet Stadium | 12 – 10 | Staines, Capewell | Crichton (2/3) | 14,077 |
| Thursday, 1 April | 4 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | Lottoland | 6 – 46 | To'o (2), Leota, Kikau (2), Burton, Capewell, Momirovski | Cleary (7/9) | 6,076 |
| Friday, 9 April | 5 | Canberra Raiders | BlueBet Stadium | 30 - 10 | Staines (2), Burton, Luai, Cleary | Cleary (5/5) | 20,890 |
| Thursday, 15 April | 6 | Brisbane Broncos | Suncorp Stadium | 12 - 20 | Capewell, Burton, Cleary | Cleary (3/4) 2 Point FG (1/1) | 21,224 |
| Thursday, 22 April | 7 | Newcastle Knights | BlueBet Stadium | 24 - 6 | Crichton, Burton, Edwards, To'o | Cleary (4/5) | 16,110 |
| Saturday, 1 May | 8 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | Carrington Park | 28 - 16 | Edwards, To'o, Martin, May, Crichton | Cleary (4/5) | 5,798 |
| Friday, 7 May | 9 | Cronulla Sharks | BlueBet Stadium | 48 - 0 | Fisher-Harris, Staines (3), Crichton, Kikau, Eisenhuth | Cleary (8/8) | 16,110 |
| Sunday, 16 May | 10 | Gold Coast Titans | Suncorp Stadium | 48 - 12 | Cleary (3), Fisher-Harris, Leota, Staines (2), Martin | Cleary (8/8) | 43,537* |
| Sunday, 23 May | 11 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Caltex Park | 12 - 56 | Cleary (2), Viliame Kikau, Kapewell, Burton (3), To'o, Crichton | Cleary (10/11) | 10,824 |
| Saturday, 29 May | 12 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | BlueBet Stadium | 30 - 4 | Staines (2), Leniu, Momirovski, Burton, Crichton | Cleary (3/6) | 16,110 |
| Friday, 4 June | 13 | Wests Tigers | Leichhardt Oval | 26 - 6 | Burton | Crichton (1/1) | 9,127 |
| Friday, 11 June | 14 | Cronulla Sharks | Netstrata Jubilee Stadium | 19 - 18 | Burton (2), Tago | Crichton (3/4) | 5,217 |
| Friday, 18 June | 15 | Sydney Roosters | BlueBet Stadium | 38 - 12 | Crichton, To'o (2), Yeo, Cleary, Staines | Cleary (5/6) | 14,406 |
| Friday, 2 July | 16 | Parramatta Eels | BlueBet Stadium | 13 - 12 | May, Koroisau | Crichton (2/2), Burton (1/2) FG | 0* |
| | 17 | Bye | | | | | |
| Sunday, 18 July | 18 | New Zealand Warriors | Suncorp Stadium | 16 - 30 | Kikau (2), To’o, Staines (2), Martin | Crichton (3/6) | 24,894 |
| Saturday, 24 July | 19 | Brisbane Broncos | Suncorp Stadium | 18 - 12 | To'o, Staines, Crichton | Crichton (1/1), Burton (1/3), Edwards (1/1) 2 Point FG | 8,019 |
| Saturday, 31 July | 20 | Melbourne Storm | Suncorp Stadium | 37 - 10 | Naden, Sorenson | Burton (1/2) | 0 |
| Saturday, 7 August | 21 | Sydney Roosters | Suncorp Stadium | 14 - 20 | Burton (2), Momirovski | Burton (2/2) | 0 |
| Friday, 13 August | 22 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | Suncorp Stadium | 16 - 34 | Naden (2), Edwards (2), Burton, Momirovski | Cleary (5/6) | 6,653 |
| Friday, 20 August | 23 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Suncorp Stadium | 25 - 12 | Cleary, Crichton, Naden, Koroisau | Cleary (4/6), (1/1) FG | 8,848 |
| Sunday, 29 August | 24 | Wests Tigers | Moreton Daily Stadium | 30 - 16 | Leota, Pangai Junior, Luai, Kikau, To'o | Cleary (5/5) | 5,351 |
| Friday, 3 September | 25 | Parramatta Eels | Cbus Super Stadium | 6 - 40 | To'o (3), Pangai Junior, Burton, Koroisau, Cleary | Cleary (6/7) | 8,580 |
| Legend: Win Loss Draw Bye ||||||||
* TBA = To be announced
* Round 10 attendance refers to the total attendance on day 3 of magic round
* Round 16 was played without crowds due to the June outbreak and lockdown in NSW
* Round 20 and 21 was played without crowds due to lockdown in QLD

### Bracket

| Qualifying and elimination finals | Qualifying and elimination finals | Qualifying and elimination finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary finals | Preliminary finals | Preliminary finals | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| 10 September – Sunshine Coast | 10 September – Sunshine Coast | 10 September – Sunshine Coast | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Melbourne | 40 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Manly Warringah | 12 | 17 September – Mackay | 17 September – Mackay | 17 September – Mackay | | | | |
| | | | Manly Warringah | Manly Warringah | 42 | | | | |
| 11 September – Townsville | 11 September – Townsville | 11 September – Townsville | Sydney | Sydney | 6 | 25 September – Brisbane | 25 September – Brisbane | 25 September – Brisbane | | | |
| 5 | Sydney | 25 | | | | Melbourne | Melbourne | 6 | |
| 8 | Gold Coast | 24 | | | | Penrith | Penrith | 10 | 3 October – Brisbane | 3 October – Brisbane | 3 October – Brisbane |
| | | | | | | | | | Penrith | Penrith | 14 |
| 12 September – Rockhampton | 12 September – Rockhampton | 12 September – Rockhampton | | | | 24 September – Brisbane | 24 September – Brisbane | 24 September – Brisbane | South Sydney | South Sydney | 12 |
| 6 | Parramatta | 28 | | | | South Sydney | South Sydney | 36 | | |
| 7 | Newcastle | 20 | 18 September – Mackay | 18 September – Mackay | 18 September – Mackay | Manly Warringah | Manly Warringah | 16 | | |
| | | | Penrith | Penrith | 8 | | | | | | |
| 11 September – Townsville | 11 September – Townsville | 11 September – Townsville | Parramatta | Parramatta | 6 | | | | | |
| 2 | Penrith | 10 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | South Sydney | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Score | Tries | Goals | Attendance |
| Saturday, 11 September | Qualifying Final | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Queensland Country Bank Stadium | 10 - 16 | Crichton | Cleary (3/3) | 18,224 |
| Saturday, 18 September | Semi Final | Parramatta | BB Print Stadium | 8 - 6 | Capewell | Cleary (2/2) | 6,011 |
| Saturday, 25 September | Preliminary Final | Melbourne Storm | Suncorp Stadium | 10 - 6 | Crichton,To'o | Cleary (1/2) | 29,011 |
| Sunday, 3 October | Grand Final | South Sydney Rabbitohs | Suncorp Stadium | 14 - 12 | Burton, Crichton | Cleary (3/3) | 39,322 |

## Ladder

2021 NRL seasonvte :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 815 | 316 | +499 | 44 |
| 2 | Penrith Panthers (P) | 24 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 676 | 286 | +390 | 44 |
| 3 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 775 | 453 | +322 | 42 |
| 4 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 744 | 492 | +252 | 34 |
| 5 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 630 | 489 | +141 | 34 |
| 6 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 566 | 457 | +109 | 32 |
| 7 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 428 | 571 | −143 | 26 |
| 8 | Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 580 | 583 | −3 | 22 |
| 9 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 520 | 556 | −36 | 22 |
| 10 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 481 | 578 | −97 | 22 |
| 11 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 474 | 616 | −142 | 18 |
| 12 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 453 | 624 | −171 | 18 |
| 13 | Wests Tigers | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 500 | 714 | −214 | 18 |
| 14 | Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 446 | 695 | −249 | 16 |
| 15 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 460 | 748 | −288 | 16 |
| 16 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 340 | 710 | −370 | 8 |

### Ladder progression

* Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
* Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
* Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
* Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.
| | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 1 | Melbourne Storm | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 42 | 44 |
| 2 | Penrith Panthers (P) | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 |
| 3 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 38 | 40 | 42 |
| 4 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 |
| 5 | Sydney Roosters | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 34 |
| 6 | Parramatta Eels | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 |
| 7 | Newcastle Knights | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 |
| 8 | Gold Coast Titans | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 |
| 9 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
| 10 | Canberra Raiders | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
| 11 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| 12 | New Zealand Warriors | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| 13 | Wests Tigers | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| 14 | Brisbane Broncos | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 |
| 15 | North Queensland Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| 16 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 |

## Other teams

In addition to competing in the National Rugby League, the Panthers are also fielding semi-professional teams in the 2021 Jersey Flegg Cup (for players aged under 21) and the New South Wales Rugby League's The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup (NSW Cup).

## Representative honours
### Domestic

| Pos. | Player | Team | Call-up |
| HB | Nathan Cleary | New South Wales | 2021 State of Origin |
| FE | Jarome Luai | New South Wales | 2021 State of Origin |
| LK | Isaah Yeo | New South Wales | 2021 State of Origin |
| WG | Brian To'o | New South Wales | 2021 State of Origin |
| SR | Liam Martin | New South Wales | 2021 State of Origin |
| HK | Apisai Koroisau | New South Wales | 2021 State of Origin |
| SR | Kurt Capewell | Queensland | 2021 State of Origin |