Because of what has happened since then, Penrith feels five-eight-night Blaize Talagi’s first collision with his former club Parramatta long ago as a long ago.
In reality it was only a month ago when the Panthers scored much needed victory. The moment they were on the ladder for the last time and it was honest to wonder that their big winning run might have passed and Talagi had arrived too late to be part of it.
But now, while they are re -confronted with Parramatta on Sunday, their chances in continuing the dynasty are not only reborn, but falsified on fire and the Panthers again have the feeling that they can be the sample at the end of so many teams Premiership dreams.
That butt game began a point of four consecutive victories that culminated with the 8-6 victory in Canterbury two weeks ago that doubled as a warning for the rest of the competition that what Penrith cannot die until it is killed.
It was a street fight of a match, the most difficult game of Talagi’s Young Life and a taste of both what the Panthers have experienced before and, considering how open the Premiership Race now seems, what can still come.
Penrith’s victory over the Bulldogs was an announcement of the return from Penrith to the Premiership race. ((Monkey: Dan Himbrechts))
“It felt exactly what it looked like. They said it was like a final type intensity and it was definitely the hardest game I’ve ever played,” Talagi said.
“They came to play and we felt it, that makes it much better to get the victory on them.
“It is such a good feeling to get in a row and get those four victories in a row. It has increased my self -confidence and helped me to play better, I will do everything to maintain it.”
The Panthers will look at Talagi, both on Sundays and the coming weeks, while they want to continue their run.
Their draw is favorable, but some of their biggest names are through an exhausting state of origin series and after New South Wales demoralizing defeat Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Dylan Edwards and Brian To’o are physically and emotionally damaged.
They will all be equipped at least once or twice and players such as Talagi will be asked to continue their strong shape in their absence.
But it’s a job that he looks ready for. Just like Penrith, Talagi took a while to get going in 2025 after he arrived in the summer as the future replacement for Jarome Luai after playing the entire back line for Parramatta in his smoking year.
Talagi did not start until five-night to round 6, but he has not missed a competition since then and has settled neatly in the position after migrating over the entire back line in his strong Rookie season with Parramatta last year.
With the advantage of retrospect, Talagi thinks that waiting was best for him – it meant that his chance had to be earned instead of giving.
“There was no pressure on me, I could wait for my time and when the time came for me to be ready, I wanted to take that place and not go back and I think I did that,” Talagi said. “
While Penrith is in shape at the right time, Talagi understands that he is far from the end product.
But his distribution skills, his connection with Nathan Cleary and his ability to fit in the form of Penrith have all improved, while retaining the best in his game – an willingness to run up the ball with little esteem for what is in the way.
“That is me alone. If I do something, it is 100 percent or nothing. I think that’s a good mindset,” Talagi said.
“I think I am such a different player when I arrived at the club and that is thanks to everyone, the boys and the coaches.
“My Footy Brain has changed. Not the talent or the ability, but being able to see things and being clear.”
That is a clarity that came through in his combination with colleague -new faces, Center Casey McLean and winger Tom Jenkins.
Together the trio became one of the best attacking weapons of Penrith and their performance against Canterbury, where they saw a persistent attack by former Panther Stephen Crichton, felt like an adulthood.
“Our combination has grown every week, we are connected to training and outside the field and we see it improving it, we feel it,” Talagi said.
“There is no underestimation of us, we can continue with great things and hopefully keep going.
“The most important thing for us has placed work in the training, the standards high and our heads kept down. You can see that on game day.”
Leaning on that right edge, and on Talagi’s physicality as a runner, will be important if Penithh makes its way through the post-origin period and back in the final.
A fifth Straight Premiership would probably have to fight a different kind of effort-the Panthers from the bottom half of the top eight and 115 of the 117 Premiership teams in the Australian Rugby League history have the regular season finished in the top four, it is as long as can be thought.
But better ending than you start, has become a way of life at the foot of the mountains and Talagi’s first season in black is living proof that it is worth the wait.
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