Penrith finished 7th in 2025… and somehow still felt like the team nobody wants to see in September.

In this episode of our 2026 NRL mini-series, Ryan breaks down what actually went wrong (and what still screams “system club”) — because the Panthers don’t do chaos, they do standards.

We get into:

• 2025 recap: how a 7th-place finish still didn’t feel like “the end”
• The Panthers’ identity: why they’re still built to strangle games late
• The 2026 draw: it’s the 3rd-hardest SOS and the first month is pure smoke (Broncos, Sharks, Roosters, Eels, Storm, Bulldogs)
• The double-ups: Broncos, Storm, Roosters, Bulldogs, Raiders, Warriors, Tigers, Eels — no freebies
• Key pillars still holding it together (Cleary/Yeo/Edwards energy)
• Our ladder call: Panthers bounce back into the top 2 conversation

Cap or Fact: the Panthers’ system is still the safest bet in the comp… even with a brutal draw.

Panthers fans — where’ve you got them finishing in 2026? Are they back in the top 4… or are we clinging to the dynasty?