Penrith Panthers have faced backlash after reports emerged on Tuesday that the 2024 premiers could look to abandon plans to play in the World Club Challenge.
While it seems Penrith have high hopes of winning a fifth-straight NRL premiership in 2025, concerns over player welfare appear to be playing on the minds of club bosses.
The NRL is set to return to Las Vegas on March 2, with the Panthers due to open their 2025 season against the Sharks at the Allegiant Stadium.
It comes as several Panthers stars, including Dylan Edwards, Liam Martin, Lindsay Smith and Isaah Yeo will turn out for the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championships. Casey McLean, Trent Toelau and Scott Sorensen will equally be in action for New Zealand during the off-season.
On top of that, Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva and James Fisher-Harris will all leave the club, while star man Nathan Cleary is due to undergo surgery on a shoulder injury that has troubled him during the 2024 season.
Penrith are due to play in the World Club Challenge after winning the NRL Grand Final
Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher expressed concerns over player welfare adding that the game shouldn’t be played
Penrith have not won the World Club Challenge, having been beaten in their last four appearances in the match
According to the NRL’s collective bargaining agreements, players are required to have eight weeks off during the summer.
Had Melbourne, who are not going to Las Vegas next year, won the Grand Final, the World Club Challenge could have taken place on the weekend of February 22.
But it is now more likely to take place on the weekend of February 15, with Penrith set to take on the winners of the Super League Grand Final clash between Wigan and Hull Kingston Rovers.
Wigan are also due to feature in the league festival out in the States next March.
Reflecting on the prospect of adding another game to his team’s fixture schedule, Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher appears to have dismissed the idea of playing the World Club Challenge.
‘You couldn’t put the players through it,’ he told News Corp. ‘We can’t play it, we don’t have the time span.
‘It’s impractical. There’s no way in the world we could fit it into the schedule. Our coaches and football department have said the players couldn’t stand up to it.
‘The amount of football that they’ve played and then a World Club Challenge before we go to Vegas – it becomes too much. Player welfare is the biggest problem. We have 20-odd players in the Pacific Test matches as well and we have a lot of surgery to be done on players over the off-season.’
Penrith star Ivan Cleary is due to undergo surgerythis summer, while other players will leave to represent their national sides
Shuold the game go ahead, the Panthers will take on the victors of Wigan and Hull KR’s Super League Grand Final
But his comments have left some fans outraged over the decision, with some noting that despite the Panthers’ dominance, winning four premierships on the bounce, the World Challenge has evaded them for some time.
‘Obviously didn’t fancy the chance of potentially being embarrassed by @hullkrofficial,’ another wrote.
‘Pathetic from the @PenrithPanthers, for a club labelling itself as having the best team in history, you’d think there’d be some desire to win the World Club Challenge, no matter how mickey mouse of a trophy it is,’ one said.
One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: ‘After the shame and embarrassment that this club has brought upon the @NRL and Southern Hemisphere Rugby League over the last 3 WCC it is no surprise at all that they are a little gun shy about a 4th humbling at the hands of an English club.’
‘They should be made to play the game. They are the best team in the NRL and have earned the right to play. Surely one game isn’t going to cause player burnout even if it was played in England,’ another wrote.
Fans joked on X (formerly Twitter) that Penrith were ‘scared’ of losing a third Club World Challenge
Another joked: ‘They don’t want another L to the mighty @WiganWarriors.’
‘That’s just wrong they are representing the NRL and embarrassing it’s also reminded us all they can be beaten and that they’re scared,’ one said.