The vultures have once again hacked at the premiership-winning Panthers over the summer, picking up both a top flight outside back (Stephen Crichton) and a world-class forward (Spencer Leniu).
Their depth has also been eaten into, with handy players Jaeman Salmon (Bulldogs), Jack Cogger (Knights), Tom Jenkins (Knights) and Zac Hosking (Raiders) all also moving on.
And that’s before we even get to 2025, when the club will lose energetic five-eighth Jarome Luai to Wests Tigers.
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That leaves Ivan Cleary with a couple of decisions to make but the Panthers are getting used to losing players every year and somehow still manage to fill the void.
There are three main contenders for Crichton’s centre spot; Bulldogs recruit Paul Alamoti, versatile veteran Tyrone Peachey and Taylan May – a fine prospect on the comeback trail from ACL surgery.
Alamoti is still very raw and had good and bad moments at the Bulldogs last season.
But there is no doubting his potential and with class players around him, I think he will get the nod first up.
Cleary has plenty of good young forwards to choose from to replace Leniu, but none have his raw power … yet.
There’s a battle on for bench spots, with Peachey, Soni Luke and prodigal son Daine Laurie in contention for the number 14 jersey.
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Laurie showed some real spark in a struggling Tigers team last year and could prove a bargain buy for the Panthers.
He can both score and create tries and has that priceless speed off the mark that can leave defenders dead in their tracks.
No team since the mighty Dragons of the 1950s and ’60s has won more than three titles on the trot, but this Panthers mob continues to re-write the record books and are good enough to top the pops again despite the two big losses.
2024 gains: Daine Laurie (Wests Tigers), Brad Schneider (Hull KR), Paul Alamoti (Bulldogs).
2024 losses: Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs), Spencer Leniu (Roosters), Jaeman Salmon (Bulldogs), Jack Cogger (Knights), Tom Jenkins (Knights), Zac Hosking (Raiders).
PANTHER’S BEST 17
1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Paul Alamoti, Tyrone Peachey, Taylan May 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Tyrone Peachey 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Luke Garner 17. Daine Laurie