True Blue Peter Wallace has enjoyed a close look all season at some of the Penrith Panthers talent in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup premiership-winning side which he is confident can now go forward and make a mark in the NRL.
Wallace has been the Panthers NSW Cup coach for the past three years – which in truth has only been one full season after the pandemic stopped the 2020 and 2021 competitions.
“I hadn’t been able to finish the past two years, but I managed to keep the same staff around me,” Wallace told nswrl.com.au in the CommBank Stadium sheds on Sunday after the Panthers beat the Bulldogs 29-22 to win the Grand Final.
“So to get the trophy this time with them is pretty sweet.
“I love working with the boys. Coaching is hard at times but to see the development of the players is very satisfying. It’s why we do it – to see them excel and achieve their dreams is special.”
Wallace generously has given his players 48 hours to celebrate, but then reminded the majority of them they were due at Panthers Academy on Tuesday morning to help the NRL squad.
NSWRL TV Highlights | NSW Cup Grand Final
“We’ll try to keep a lid on celebrations because it’s important for our full-time guys are back to help the NRL guys win the comp,” he said.
That means Christian Crichton, Kurt Falls, Robert Jennings, Sean O’Sullivan, Sunia Turuva, Eddie Blacker, J’maine Hopgood, Liam Henry, Lindsay Smith, Matt Eisenhuth, Preston Riki and Soni Luke – who were part of the team who won the Grand Final against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and have all played NRL in 2022 - will be back on the training field this week.
O’Sullivan (Redcliffe Dolphins) and Hopgood (Parramatta Eels) are off to different NRL clubs next year with Wallace expecting to see their names regularly on NRL team lists along with a few other players from his NSW Cup team.
“All the boys have really good potential so it’s hard to just nominate a couple,” he said.
“I’ve been really impressed with Soni Luke. He’s had a great year and has tremendous fight in him to come back from all the injuries he’s had in his career so far.
“He’s finally strung a whole year together and he’s been outstanding for us.
“Look what he did today – unbelievable.
“Api (Koroisau) is moving on (Wests Tigers) but Mitch (Kenny) is still there so I suppose Soni is second-in-command.”
Luke, who was named Player of the Match in the Grand Final, made his NRL debut this year at at 26 and went on to play four games.
“Sunia Turuva is another,” Wallace said of his winger who scored two tries against the Bulldogs to give him 13 in 20 games this year.
“He’s magnificent… always breaks a tackle. The production line just keeps coming.
“I also though Isaiah longi was outstanding for us out the back today as was Jack Cole.
“We also didn’t have Tom Jenkins there (hand injury) and he’s been huge for us.
“I was devastated to lose Tom and then in comes Jack Cole, who was (NSWRL) Jersey Flegg Player of the Year…. like I said, a great production line.
“Obviously our advantage is our junior system.”
“A lot of the boys come through the grades together, so they have that connection from a young age.”
