Panthers want to be NRL entertainers

They were the worst attacking team last year but Penrith say they want to be the NRL’s new entertainers.

Having put their injury-ravaged 2015 campaign behind them and with a fresh start under new coach Anthony Griffin, senior players Trent Merrin and Matt Moylan say they plan to turn on the fireworks this year.

The driving force behind the side’s promise of playing razzle-dazzle football is dynamic back-row pairing of Tyrone Peachey and Bryce Cartwright.

Cartwright is promising to take his game to the next level this year after ending last season with a flurry and providing moments of spark during the Auckland Nines and their recent trials.

Combined with Peachey they boast one of the most potent back-rows in the competition with the rare ability to create something out of nothing.

“I think you’re going to see something a lot different,” Merrin said.

“We all know the talent that these boys have. At the start we have to play strong, aggressive footy and build pressure against opponents.

“We all know the capabilities that they have, but that will show in due time.”

The Panthers managed just 399 points – the worst for record of any side in the competition last year.

Some of their woes can be attributed to a horror injury toll and inability to get a halves pairing on the field for a considerable block of time.

Both Merrin and Moylan said it would take time for their combinations to warm up but had the potential to match it with the best attackers in the competition.

“There’s some players that can pull off some freakish stuff,” Moylan said.

“At the start of the year we’ve just got to play some simple footy and we can build off that.

“When the time comes for someone to pull something out of their kit bag, we can expect them to be doing something.”

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