MICHAEL Gordon's future at the Panthers is in doubt, with the star to consider quitting the club if Ivan Cleary ignores his request to play fullback.

NSW and Australian representative Luke Lewis has been announced as Penrith's new captain ahead of the 2012 NRL season.

REIGNING premiers Manly face the possibility of being torn apart at the end of this year.

WHEN Phil Gould learned three of his players were involved in a hit-and-run car accident last month, he immediately called the police.

PAIN over the festive season is generally self-inflicted, but a group of Panthers went the extra mile for voluntary punishment last week.

GREY hairs are synonymous with wisdom and stress.

PANTHERS point-scoring whiz Michael Gordon has resumed kicking duties for the first time since being crippled by a season-ending knee injury in May.

LOVE him or loathe him, it is compulsory to listen to what Phil Gould has to say. Check out his first interview since Super league.

THE driveway is longer than the cliched list of westie jokes about Penrith.

IN news that could have him lynched in Penrith, former international Royce Simmons will be cheering for the Poms in the Four Nations final.

AT long last, rugby league's march towards independence is almost over after the 16 NRL clubs agreed to sign club licences with the new ARL Commission.

SAM McKendry has broken his silence on the hit that smashed his jaw in five places and left his bottom teeth 1cm out of alignment.

SAM McKendry has undergone surgery on his broken jaw after it was revealed his bottom teeth were whacked 1cm out of alignment.

PREMIERS Manly will kick-start their title defence with a grand final re-match against New Zealand next season.

SEEMINGLY ignoring free speech, Penrith has controversially gagged all its candidates running for the coming football club elections.

PAUL Gallen was the most popular pick, while Wayne Bennett sprung two surprises with his coach's pick in naming the NRL All Stars side. Team

JUST because they're tough, don't think your favourite NRL players are only interested in partying during the off season.

TERRY Campese's hopes of resurrecting his NSW Origin career received a huge boost yesterday when he was named in the emerging Blues squad.

IT had been more than a week since Lachlan Coote and 11 other Penrith Panthers players first met Jacob King during a visit to Nepean Hospital.

PHIL ROTHFIELD delivers his fearless predictions on what to expect in the 2012 NRL season.

WILLIE Mason tells Paul Crawley how watching the Four Nations final sparked his desire to return to the NRL and of his plans to tie the knot.

THE battle on the field is yet to be won but Penrith are being massacred in the fight with GWS for sponsorship dollars.

PENRITH'S past captains are some of the greatest and most courageous players in rugby league - and now you can add forward Luke Lewis to the list.

NEW Penrith recruit Clint Newton has a strong message for Panthers fans fearing he may be washed up after four seasons in England.

THERE is hope the NRL commission could be in place before Christmas after the clubs agreed a much-reduced financial package.

LUKE Lewis wanted to jump on the first plane back to Australia yesterday after being hit by a stomach virus in the Kangaroos camp.

INCOMING Panthers coach Ivan Cleary reckons Phil Gould is on a "mission" to save western Sydney - and claims the NRL now must walk alongside him.

DISCIPLINE. Respect. Trust. With these three buzz words, incoming Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary yesterday began his assault on the 2012 season.

PREMIERS Manly will kick-start their title defence with a grand final re-match against New Zealand next season.

RUGBY league's civil war reached boiling point last night with NRL clubs plotting a boycott of peace talks with News Limited and the ARL.