The 2020 Penrith Panthers season is the 54th season in the club's history. Coached by Ivan Cleary and captained by James Tamou, the Panthers are competing in the National Rugby League's 2020 Telstra Premiership. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the NRL was played without fans in round 2. Shortly after the competition was suspended from 24 March until 28 May when round 3 commenced under a new draw. Crowds were allowed to return from round 5 in very small groups, whilst larger crowds were allowed from round 8. Teams were also allowed to return to their own home grounds from round 8. On the 14th of August after winning against the New Zealand Warriors, Penrith broke the club record for their longest ever winning streak with their run of 9 straight wins, continuing to 14 straight wins on the 19th of September against the North Queensland Cowboys. After Penriths 32 - 12 victory over the Cowboys in round 19, the club were crowned minor premiers of the 2020 NRL season for a third time in the clubs history. After winning by 1 point against the Sydney Roosters in the first week of the 2020 NRL Finals Series Penrith made the Preliminary final for the first time in 6 years, extending their winning streak to 16 straight. In the Preliminary final Penrith went on to win 20 - 16 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and made their first grand final in 17 years. Penrith also extended their winning streak to 17 which is the equal highest winning streak in the NRL era alongside the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs. In the grand final the Panthers played the second place Melbourne Storm but came off second best. After being down 26 - 0 after 50 minutes they managed to score 20 unanswered points, finishing the match fast but falling short in the end, losing 20 - 26.
Squad
Player transfers A † denotes that the transfer occurred during the 2019 season.
+ Gains Player Signed from Until end of Notes Apisai Koroisau Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Kurt Capewell Cronulla Sharks Zane Tetevano Sydney Roosters
+ Losses Player Signed To Until end of Notes Reagan Campbell-Gillard Parramatta Eels Wayde Egan New Zealand Warriors Tyrell Fuimaono St. George Illawarra Dragons Tim Grant Contract Terminated Sam McKendry Retired James Maloney Catalans Dragons Hame Sele South Sydney Rabbitohs Frank Winterstein Toulouse Olympique Sione Katoa Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Nick Lui Toso Northern Pride (Queensland Cup) Paea Pua Mount Pritchard Mounties (NSW Cup)
Fixtures
Pre-season Date Trial Opponent Venue Score Tries GoalsSaturday, 22 February1 Wests TigersPanthers Stadium32 - 4Naden, May, Hetherington, Crichton, HopgoodCartwright (4/5)Saturday, 29 February2 Parramatta EelsBega recreation ground22 - 22Cleary, Mansour, Brian To'o, Naden, HandsCleary (2/3), Cartwright (1/1)Legend:
Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSaturday, 14 March1 Sydney RoostersPanthers Stadium20 - 14Naden, Crichton, KikauCleary (4/4)10,160Friday, 20 March2 St George Illawarra DragonsNetstrata Jubilee Stadium28 - 32Koroisau, Cleary, Naden, Kikau, CrichtonCleary (5/5)0Sunday, 31 May3 Newcastle KnightsCampbelltown Stadium14 - 14Kikau, CapewellCrichton (3/3)0Friday, 5 June4 New Zealand WarriorsCampbelltown Stadium26 - 0Burton (2), Luai, Mansour, BurnsChricton (3/5)0Friday, 12 June5 Parramatta EelsBankwest Stadium16 - 10To'o, MansourCleary (1/2)507Friday, 19 June6 Melbourne StormCampbelltown Stadium21 - 14Crichton, To'o, KikauCleary (4/4, 1 FG)115Thursday, 25 June7 South Sydney RabbitohsNetstrata Jubilee Stadium20 - 12Naden, Crichton, Edwards, ClearyCleary (1/4)106Saturday, 4 July8 Wests TigersBankwest Stadium12 - 19Crichton (2), EdwardsCleary (3/3, 1 FG)3,960Saturday, 11 July9 Cronulla SharksNetstrata Jubilee Stadium24 - 56Naden, Martin, Crichton (2), Staines (4), BurnsCleary (7/9), Crichton (1/2)3,277Sunday, 19 July10 North Queensland CowboysPanthers Stadium22 - 10Luai, Naden, Crichton, ClearyCleary (3/5)2,891Sunday, 26 July11 Gold Coast TitansCbus Super Stadium14 - 22Mansour, Crichton, Yeo, Watene-ZelezniakCleary (3/4)5,095Saturday, 1 August12 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesLottoland12 - 42Staines (2), Yeo, Crichton, Cleary, Naden, KoroisauCleary (7/8)2,729Saturday, 8 August13 Canberra RaidersPanthers Stadium28 - 12Kikau, Martin, Crichton, NadenCleary (6/6)3,468Friday, 14 August14 New Zealand WarriorsCentral Coast Stadium12 - 18Naden, Koroisau, EdwardsCleary (3/4)2,737Friday, 21 August15 Cronulla SharksPanthers Stadium38 - 12Kikau, Mansour (2), Naden, Crichton, Martin, LuaiCleary (5/7)3,206Saturday, 29 August16 Wests TigersPanthers Stadium30 - 6Luai, Martin, To'o, Crichton, MansourCleary (5/6)3,699Thursday, 3 September17 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium12 - 25Mansour, Capewell, Luai, To'oCleary (4/5, 1 FG)5,626Friday, 11 September18 Parramatta EelsPanthers Stadium20 - 2Mansour, Martin, Jarome LuaiCleary (4/4)3,955Friday, 18 September19 North Queensland CowboysQueensland Country Bank Stadium12 - 32To'o, Crichton, Mansour, Luai, Kikau, NadenCleary (4/6)7,247Saturday, 26 September20 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsANZ Stadium0 - 42To'o, Capewell (2), Naden (2), Mansour, Burton, TamouCleary (5/8)6,755 Legend: NA = Not announced
Finals
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceFriday, 2 OctoberQualifying Final Sydney RoostersPanthers Stadium29 - 28Mansour, Cleary (3), CrichtonCleary (4/6, 1 FG)7,209Saturday, 17 OctoberPreliminary Final South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium20 - 16To'o, May, EdwardsCleary (4/4)30,116Sunday, 25 OctoberGrand Final Melbourne StormANZ Stadium20 - 26To'o, Crichton, Mansour, ClearyCleary (2/3)37,303 Legend:
Ladder
Other teams In addition to competing in the National Rugby League, the Panthers are also fielding semi-professional teams in the 2020 Jersey Flegg Cup (for players aged under 20) and the New South Wales Rugby League's 2020 Canterbury Cup (NSW Cup). Due to COVID-19 however these competitions were abandoned for the 2020 season.
Representative honours
Domestic PlayerTeamCall-up Ref. HB Nathan Cleary New South Wales 2020 State of Origin FE Jarome Luai LK Isaah Yeo CE Stephen Crichton SR Kurt Capewell Queensland 2020 State of Origin
References