BESIEGED Panthers coach Matthew Elliott will today attempt to convince a divided Penrith board to allow him to continue in the job he was told as recently as last Friday afternoon was "safe".
After a two-hour meeting yesterday at which the club's chairman Barry Walsh said directors had held "an informal discussion … reviewing the 2008 season", Elliott was invited to address another previously unscheduled board gathering at midday today.
While it was widely speculated that the board merely wants to tell Elliott in person of his sacking, the Herald understands that no decision has been made on his future and directors are split in their views over whether he should be allowed to serve out the remaining year of his contract.
The fact Elliott's services were not terminated after yesterday's emergency board meeting suggests he still has some support among those making decisions at the club and his chances of surviving received a further boost last night when highly regarded captain Petero Civoniceva offered his backing.
Neither of the two high-profile candidates linked to the job - former Warriors coach Daniel Anderson, who is returning to Sydney at the end of the season after two years in charge of Super League minor premiers St Helens, and Melbourne assistant Stephen Kearney - has been approached and Penrith under-20s mentor Steve Georgallis is not expecting to replace Elliott.
Among the issues the board are considering is whether they can afford to sack Elliott as it is not only the 43-year-old former Bradford and Canberra coach they would have to pay out, but his staff. Assistant Wayne Collins, head trainer Matt Adamson and strength and conditioning coach Carl Jennings are also under contract for next season.
At least one member of the club's coaching staff is understood to have last week been advised his services would no longer be required but the Herald was told yesterday that Elliott was assured at 4pm last Friday that he would remain in charge next season.
If Elliott and his coaching staff were sacked, the Panthers would have the additional cost of paying whoever replaces them - a move that would seem at odds with the recent decision to cut $500,000 in expenditure as the NSW Government's increased poker machine tax continues to impact on leagues club revenue.
During his two years in charge of the Panthers, Elliott has endured a prickly relationship with some of the club's senior players as he oversaw a cleanout.
Elliott's coaching staff are also unpopular with some of the players and it is thought that complaints about them feature in a review that chief executive Michael Leary has been compiling for the board.
With Tony Puletua, Luke Priddis, Rhys Wesser, Luke Rooney and Shane Rodney all having left the club after Saturday night's loss to Manly, only Luke Lewis, Trent Waterhouse and Frank Pritchard remain from the team that won the 2003 grand final against Sydney Roosters.
With Pritchard having asked for a release three times this season, directors may be convinced to axe members of the coaching staff if he guaranteed to stay at the club.
Civoniceva, who has missed the finals for the first time in his 12-year career after joining Penrith from Brisbane this season, said the team's performance had been disappointing and suggested the players should take most of the blame.
"It was our attitude that I thought was the real problem and I think it is a little bit hard to blame the coaches for players' individual attitudes - players need to take responsibility for that themselves," Civoniceva said.
"Matt Elliott isn't the one out there who missed all the tackles against Canberra when they ran in a cricket score. If we're being totally honest with ourselves I think it's a bit cheap and easy to be blaming other people for what we did wrong.
"As for me and Matt, I can say that we have a great line of communication. He's always been open to listen whenever I've spoken to him this season but certainly our club has some issues that they need to deal with in this off-season.
"As a captain it's been a pretty disappointing season but I believe we are heading in the right direction."
Under Elliott, the Panthers this year blooded promising juniors Wade Graham, Masada Iosefa, Lachlan Coote, Sam McKendry and Daniel Penese. But their latest debutant, 19-year-old winger or centre William Isa, has been poached by Melbourne.
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