PENRITH Panthers NRL Club have had one of the biggest player turnovers in recent memory with many new signings and departures in 2013.
Ivan Cleary, in his second season at the club, is shaping the club playing stocks with a "long-term philosophy".
Many long-standing players and familiar faces are gone.
No more Luke Lewis, Michael Jennings or Michael Gordon.
In the past seven seasons the club has had four coaches: John Lang, Matthew Elliott, Steve Georgallis and now Cleary.
Since 2003, the Panthers have made the finals on three occasions. In 2003, they defeated
the Sydney Roosters to win the grand final, 18-6. They also made the finals in 2004 and
in 2010.
There is a new crop in the squad that Cleary believes he can harvest.
He knows like any farmer that good crops take time, hard work and a slice of luck.
Rome wasn't built in a day and the foundations for the Panthers are being laid by Cleary and general manager Phil Gould.
Coach Cleary will rely heavily on experienced hooker and leader Kevin Kingston for inspiration in 2013.
Kingston was one of the Panthers' best performers last season and with the departure
of captain Luke Lewis, the durable Kingston will be one of the main candidates to skipper the team.
Kingston has played 150 NRL games at three clubs — Cronulla, Parramatta and with Penrith since 2010.