In addition to fielding what is essentially a Premier League side with a few stars in this year's NRL competition, the Penrith Panthers have ensured their future as cellar dwellers by recruiting 'coaching genius' Matt Elliot - a man who has turned Canberra from crap into...well... he hasn't actually done much.

Newcastle are said to be 'glad to have dodged a bullet' with regards to the Elliot contract. Penrith's John Lang will undoubtedly be linked with the Knights' coaching job.

If John Lang goes to the Knights he might have to play to bring the average age of players DOWN!!!

I was just looking at the season guide and the "players to watch" are all 25. Seems even those on the frindge have experiance on their side.

That's because the person writing the guide is an idiot. Our players to watch are all floating on the edge of first grade waiting for their chance.

A team of reserve graders with a few stars?

Get your hand off it Chris you fucknuckle

Wesser, Lewis, Rooney, Campbell, Gower, Clinton, Priddis, Waterhouse, Puletua, Waterhouse, Rodney with players like Moors, Youngquest, Cross with promise...hardly a reserve grade team.

Waterhouse may be good, but he's not worth mentioning twice, Mick. Rodney is not a star. Rodney is no more a star than Clint Newton. Youngquest does not have promise.

Your team recruited two teams worth of Premier League from around the country which will, in the long run, be a good move - but won't amount to much this year. Your full strength side (sans Rooney, gasp) could only beat a weak Newcastle side by eight.

And now Matt Elliot.

I don't blame you for ending your support of the club. They're clearly beyond redemption.

Wesser wasn't there also...didn't play.

Pritchard played 20 minutes...Puletua only played the second half...you didn't see the trial so you cannot comment.

Waterhouse is a shitload better than any backrower Newcastle have. So is Rodney.

As for props...i'd rather the promising Bryan Norrie who will be a star along with Joel CLinton than two aged pensioners in Smith and Davico along with Mr Soft Josh Perry.

Newcastle's team is full of reserve graders bar Johns, Buderus, Carney and Simpson...the rest of the team is worthless to any club and wouldn't make the starting team anywhere.

Worry about your own backyard. You do remember the fact you still have the spoon in your closet.

Mick, Mick, Mick - your ignorance is showing.

Steve Simpson is leagues ahead of Waterhouse, and only a Penrith fan would argue otherwise. I'd argue that Newton's on a par with Waterhouse, but I understand that our individual club bias will interfere in that argument.

The same could be said of Penrith. The only quality you have is Campbell, Gower, Lewis, and Puletua. Wesser hasn't played a good game since the year you won the comp, and Rooney went AWOL sometime last year. You're losing one of them post season, and whatever talent you do have (particularly in the juniors) will be squandered when Matthew Elliot takes the helm. Your club is giving new definition to mismanagement.

Oh, and the classic wooden spoon argument. For someone who has all of the answers, you ignore the fact that Newcastle had the worst injury run in the past five years - using more players than any other club by a good many and using their entire second tier salary cap in finding replacements.

Despite all of that we still managed to finish the competition strongly with our only loss in the latter period of the season coming against the then premiership favourites.

I shouldn't be too hard on Penrith, though, they were kind enough to give us the win that turned our season around.

Penrith fluke a grand final and sink back to the mediocrity their fans should be used to and suddenly their fans have backbone. Please, between 1996 and 2004 the Knights had been one of the league's most consistently successful teams. Ya'll get one lucky premiership against the game's greatest chokers and suddenly you've got a team full of superstars.

I never said we're a team full of superstars you fucking novacastrian cum guzzler.

I said we wern't a bunch of Premier League players which we arn't. Anyone in our starting pack would walk into First Grade at ANY team.

So your saying Priddis isn't quality are you? If you are your a bigger idiot than first thought.

Rooney and Wesser...one of them leaving? First i've heard. Both are raring to go for the season. Rooney especially. He finally has a centre that will give him some ball instead of being a hog.

Fluked a Grand Final..LMAO...Fluked the Minor Premiership as well aye?...Fluked smashing every team? Fluked coming one game away in 2004 as well? Idiot.

You got Andrew Johns, so what...you bogans up at Newcastle eat his splooge everytime he takes the field, and your nuffy reserve graders when he isn't there sink into oblivian and get the spoon.

We didn't fluke anything, you may have fluked 2000 however, if you use your theory. But in reality, neither we or you fluked anything. We were the best teams that year, thats the end of the story.

What has Matthew Elliot had to work with down at Canberra? Wow...great halves they have had with Brad Drew, Andrew McFadden, Brett Finch and Mark McLinden.....Nothing compared to the player Gower is. Only Jason Smith was any good and when he played last year they were in the top 8. What wingers have they had? Anything like Lewis and Rooney. Noooo

What Props....aside from Wiki when he was there did they have? Injury plagued Davico, O'Hara and Weyman?

What Forwards did they have all together? Jason Croker and Tyron Smith? hahaha. Nothing compared to the Penrith pack.

Yeah in all likelihood Elliot will fuck up, and I know this myself, but i'll give him 6 months to prove himself, given the fact we got a better Roster than Canberra and have money to spend this season.

Fuck I hope Johns breaks his legs in the first round, then i'd love to see Newcastle fans then when their cum hero fades into oblivion along with their season.

Wow, you've sunk to new lows, defending Matt Elliot. Even the most ardent Raiders' fan doesn't give him a hope in hell.

I was referring to Campbell going to Gold Coast, although I wouldn't be surprised to see more players leave the sinking ship. I mean, things were dire ever since Richardson left you in the lurch, and now you've added weight with a hopeless coach. Top work, guys (y)

I assume you mean 2001. In 2000 it would have been anything but a fluke. That was probably our best ever team and had Joey not shot his mouth off at half time against the Roosters, we'd probably have won the big one. Instead he pissed off the losing side and they stormed back.

And Elliot is... well... what has he done with Canberra? Sure, he hasn't done a Hagan and made a good side worse (but then, the only way for Canberra was always going to be up, wasn't it?) but he's done absolutely nothing. Despite all of Hagan's failings he did manage to get Newcastle to the gold in 2001. He may have lost talents such as Kennedy and Tahu, but he did manage to nurture good young guys such as Thaidy, Mullen and such. Elliot's done....

Well, I'll get back to you on that.

but but but....

meh its true what the fuck am I going on about.

lmfao :lol: