You never know what words can trigger a war. Upon reflection, branding someone a “weak-gutted dog” is a sure-fire way to start one in rugby league. But this time, as the feud between Penrith and Canberra promises to rage on and on, “good karma” was enough to act as the spark.
Following the Panthers' 53-12 thumping of the Raiders last weekend, Jaeman Salmon decided revenge was a dish best served in the cool Canberra air when he crashed over for his side's final try and yelled the insult Ricky Stuart had infamously hit him last year.
Paul Kent blasts Ivan Cleary for 'good karma' comment
Asked for his reaction to the outburst post-match, Ivan Cleary took his time before labelling it “good karma”. This was enough to get Paul Kent firing on all cylinders - some of which he seems to reserve specifically for Penrith - on NRL 360.
MORE: Ricky Stuart and his Raiders left embarrassed as Jaeman Salmon caps nine-try blitz
“It was a mug’s comment, to be honest,” he said.
“As a coach, good on Ivan for standing by his players.
“As a father, maybe he should have a little bit of understanding about where Ricky was coming from and just elected to say nothing.
“I don’t mind Jaeman Salmon saying what he said. If you want to return serve when someone has a shot at you – go for your life.
“But don’t walk around kicking stones and giving it the sad face and telling me how hurt and upset you are…everyone around giving you a hug and telling you how unfair it all is and lean on the sympathy of that for three months.
“Then, when you’re back in town and you’re straight back at 53-12, you come out and fire back at them.
“It’s one or the other. It’s character.”
Penrith labelled 'classless' after Jaeman Salmon incident against Canberra
Kent went on to criticise the behaviour of Penrith’s players once more after branding them “rat mugs” following their premiership celebrations last year.
“I just think Penrith are really bad winners, they are bad winners,” the co-host of NRL 360 said in October 2022 following their win over Parramatta.
“There’s a smugness and they piss in their own party, Penrith.
“They should be celebrated. This is going to be one of the great teams and they should be celebrated and remembered that way but they’re just mugs the way they carry on after a game.”
It appears the latest blow-up between the Raiders and Panthers has only served to solidify this viewpoint in Kent’s mind.
“My whole problem with this Penrith team, as we’ve seen once again on the weekend, is they just lack class,” he said on Monday.
“They win grand finals and rub their opponent’s nose in it, and they give a big ‘up yours’ to anybody who gives them any criticism.
“You watch what happens after this when they get wind of it- I’ll be all over their Twitter feeds.”
However, fellow journalist Peter Badel defended Cleary in his post-match press conference.
He claimed Cleary's words had helped to stir future animosity that Kent himself had actually called for during Origin when he declared the concept had gone stale as no players wanted to ignite a rivalry with each other.
“The very theatre that you’ve been crying out for has been delivered by Ivan Cleary – its magnificent,” Badel said.
“Ricky led with his chin in boxing parlance and got an uppercut. He deserves it.”
Panthers whole organisation comes under fire from Paul Kent
Kent then launched into another takedown of the Penrith organisation and their supposed lack of class, citing Jarome Luai's drunken speech at Brian To'o's wedding as a prime example of what he was talking about.
“If you want to go there and say, ‘Good on Ricky last year for saying what he said – your turn will come,’ I’ll cop that,” he said.
“But I won’t cop you sitting there saying how upset you are by the comment and then six months later, under different circumstances, you think it’s fair to deliver it back.
“The issue is when they act like mugs the club, through their tacit approval, endorse it.
“You want to teach these young men that come into the club…part of the spiel to mum and dad when you’re trying to sign them up is, what we’re going to do is teach your young boy to be a good young man.
“Parents hand these children over to the clubs and they spend all of their time there. The club has a big impact on the men they grow into.
“But they’re not looked after which results in the wedding last year where Jarome Luai gets up and makes an absolute mug’s speech on this young woman’s greatest day of her life.
“Why wasn’t someone there saying, ‘Listen mate, at least let us see your speech,’ as part of their caretaking role?
“They are not being educated to show any humility or class. You want to sit there and keep defending that? Then you’re going to be part of the problem too.”
