Jennings better with age
THE greatest surprise about Parramatta centre Michael Jennings is not that he’s still playing great footy, but that he is still even playing in the NRL.
Despite appearing to be headed for the scrap heap on numerous occasions since exploding into the NRL at Penrith way back in 2007, Jennings is the 11th longestsurviving current NRL player.
And coach Brad Arthur argus the 32-year-old “is getting better” with age.
Jennings’ career was at the crossroads when he was shown the door by Penrith – the Eels’ opponent tonight – in 2012.
But he’s always been a gifted footballer and his speed and agility look to have made him an even more dangerous proposition thanks to the new sixagain rule.
Asked how he rated Jennings’ form so far this year, Arthur said: “He is getting better.
“He is footy smart. He is a good defensive centre and he knows the game. You can tell he has been around and he has been coached well.”
And he’s become a survivor in a game that chews up and spits out talent.
Roosters fans still laugh about the night that Jennings was walking around in his shorts and socks after scoring the match-clinching grand final try in 2013, and fist pumping everyone and anyone with his premiership ring as he joked: “Thanks Gus (Panthers boss Phil Gould), thanks Penrith (who let him go after the 2012 season)”.
Then after almost getting sacked at Parra after the wooden spoon finish in 2018 – when he disappeared on a postseason trip to the Middle East without telling the club – Jennings had his best season in years in 2019. With that form winning him a new two-year deal, he’s now repaying the club for their faith.
HE IS FOOTY SMART. HE IS A GOOD DEFENSIVE CENTRE AND HE KNOWS THE GAME. YOU CAN TELL HE HAS BEEN AROUND AND HE HAS BEEN COACHED WELL.
BRAD ARTHUR