Penrith built a $500 wall

KIM Ciraldo walked into the Commonwealth Bank and asked to withdraw $500.

“But could I have it in $5 notes please,” she asked.

The bet would be paid — but nothing inside the alwaysbuzzing Penrith dressing-room ends without a punchline.

Smiles are free, but the best defensive side in the NRL has cost Penrith assistant coach and Minister for Defence,

Cameron Ciraldo, $500.

Much has been written and said about the sizzling attack of this powerful, fast and freewheeling Panthers side.

But if defence wins premierships, Penrith are halfway to victory against Melbourne on Sunday night.

Ciraldo, always searching for an inspiring angle, a story to share about the club’s history or a colourful form of motivation for his players to keep tackling, decided he’d cough up his own cash if he had too.

Ahead of Penrith’s final game of the regular season against Canterbury at ANZ Stadium, Ciraldo proposed a bet to his players.

If the Panthers could finish the season by keeping their opposition to an average of 12 points or less, he would part with $500.

The kicker was, to record the feat and collect their cash, the Penrith unit couldn’t allow Canterbury to score a point.

An average of 12 or less points conceded had only been achieved twice before in NRL history, ironically by their grand final opposition, the Storm in 2007 (11.5) and in 2008 (11.8).

The Panthers beat the Bulldogs 42-0 to finish the season with an incredible average of 11.9 points conceded per-game.

So with her husband unable to exit the COVID-19 bubble, Kim stopped in at the bank to withdraw a hundred $5 notes.

At the end of a team meeting, Ciraldo flung the fives into the air, happy to part with the cash, but not as happy as the hooting and hollering players.

Penrith director Greg Alexander praised Ciraldo’s coaching and said as much as he’s proud of the Panthers’ cohesion in attack, he knows the backbone to winning competitions is defence.

“When you look at games over the last 20 years, it’s the best defensive sides that normally play in the grand final,’’ Alexander said. “This year we’ve got teams one and two.

“And Penrith have got a very good defensive coach in Cameron Ciraldo.

“I think both the attack and the defence feed off each other.

“If you’re just a good defensive side that can’t score tries, well you burn yourself out.

“There’s no looking, waiting or watching for someone else to do it and that’s what these boys have been coached to do.’’