Penrith Panthers

Chief Executive Officer ReportIn compiling this report I believe it is appropriate to firstly acknowledge that season 2008 fellsomewhat below our expectations. Whilst the Panthers improved their standing from 2007 tofinish twelfth on the competition ladder, many of us were hoping for a finals berth, and indeedmany of us expecting the Panthers to be there at decision time.With that said, I remain firm in my belief that there is a storm brewing at the foot of the BlueMountains – a storm that will rain havoc on the NRL aspirations of many of our rivals.From a marketing perspective, there is plenty to remain enthusiastic about the viability andvisibility of the Panthers brand, including:• During 2008, our Chairman Club Membership was fully booked all year. 2009 is already fullysold out and has a solid waiting list• CUA Stadium signage for 2008 was sold out and is also heading towards being sold outfor 2009• Renewed focus on membership• Panthers have retained all their major sponsors for 2009 – CUA, Sanyo, Nepean Motor Group,HostPlus, Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program• Electronic turnstiles are to be installed at CUA Stadium for 2009• A $5 million upgrade to our stadium and VIP corporate box facilities• A mobile retail merchandising van will be launched early in 2009• In November 2008, Panthers opened a merchandising shop in High Street, Penrith• CUA Stadium hosted two World Cup matches and was the venue for The Defence ForcesRugby League World Cup matches• Panthers Rugby League marketing team won the highly prestigious Australian MarketingInstitutes NSW award for Excellence in Sponsorship this year. The award was a result of theextremely successful CUA – A Change for the Better with the Panthers promotion.In other important news, two new academies have shifted their administrative headquartersto CUA Stadium. These are NSWRL Western Sydney Rugby League Academy, together withWestern Sydney Academy of Sport. Panthers on the Prowl, our successful and respectedcommunity service initiative, also has new offices and a classroom at the Stadium.As we review 2008 and look forward to season 2009, I believe Panthers can rightly lay claimto having made the “Buy of the Year” in signing Petero Civoniceva from the Broncos. It is notoften that the words “gentleman” and “front-rower” are used in the same sentence, but bothare regularly used in describing the Penrith captain. Petero’s form was good enough for himto retain his Queensland and Australian rep jumpers,and week-in, week-out he led the Panthers byexample. I believe it is Petero’s off-field influence thatwill be felt in the immediate and long-term future. Tome there is an obvious parallel between the signingsof Petero and former hard man front-rower PeterKelly – albeit two decades apart. Kelly did not playin the Panthers’ first-ever premiership side, havingretired in 1990. However, his influence was felt forseasons after he had hung up his boots. Kelly gave theimproving young Panthers of the late eighties a senseof belief in their ability to mix it with the best – andPetero Civoniceva has, through his professionalism,Michael LearyChief Executive Officerhis on- and off-field example and his superb work ethic, helped construct a solid platform forthe future.There was plenty to become enthused about with the consistent performances of centre MichaelJennings, our leading tryscorer for the season with twelve, and the continued improvementfrom winger Michael Gordon, despite his somewhat injury-marred season. Lock Nathan Smithwas another ultra-consistent performer, finishing fourth on the league’s top tacklers’ list. Kiwiinternational Frank Pritchard regularly displayed why he is one of the game’s most feared leftfieldattacking weapons. He can tackle a bit, too – just ask Wests Tigers winger Peni Tagive!“Look to your own backyard” is an adage that is sure to serve the Penrith club well. JuniorsLachlan Coote, Wade Graham, Masada Iosefa and Joseph Paulo showed enough in theircombined total of top-grade games to demonstrate that there is a motherlode of junior rugbyleague talent here in Rugby League heartland. Greg Waddell is only seventeen years of age buthas already represented his state and his country at junior level and will most assuredly presshard for a top-grade berth in 2009. St Marys product Geoff Daniela, a centre or winger withenormous potential, will be aiming to fill the vacancy left by the departure of internationalLuke Rooney. Most of the juniors we have signed are committed to three-year deals.So far, the Panthers have signed two established NRL players for 2009. Shane Elford is aPanthers junior who will be returning to the mountains after stints with Wests Tigers in theNRL and Huddersfield in the English Super League. An interesting addition to the ranks willbe former Gold Coast Titan Gavin Cooper, a busy and talented backrower who will fill the gapleft by the departure of Tony Puletua.7