Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor admits he's unsure whether Tim Simona saga had affected the team in Sunday's 36-2 NRL capitulation to Penrith.
On the same day Simona opened up about the drugs and gambling addiction that resulted in his deregistration from the game, the Tigers were kept tryless for the first time in a year.
Taylor refused to comment on the Simona revelations, except that he would say more about the story early this week.
Asked if it had impacted on his team's performance, Taylor said: "Not sure - I don't know.
"I just want to talk about today's game. I've got some comments to make about that situation and how that came out today but I don't want to make those comments today."
Penrith bounced back from their horror round-one showing in perfect fashion, scoring three tries in each half to claim their first win of the season.
Centres Dean Whare and Tyrone Peachey starred in sapping conditions in Sydney's southwest, with the former scoring two tries and the latter carrying the ball for a game-high 191m.
But coach Anthony Griffin was far more impressed with his team's improved defence, which kept the Tigers' bevy of young stars quiet in front of a disappointing home crowd of 12,232.
"Last week, we were very disappointed in the way we played. We had to lead this week with our defensive efforts if we were going to turn it around. That was the most pleasing part," he said.
"In fairness to them, they probably bombed a couple they should've got today but the fact (is) we kept throwing a jersey there every time they came at us.
"I couldn't be prouder of them today. It was just a really strong response."
The win could come at a cost for embattled star Bryce Cartwright, who finished a controversy-plagued week by coming off with an ankle injury in the first half.
The pre-season premiership favourites were back at their enterprising best against a Tigers side who, in contrast, looked a shadow of the unit which started the season with a bang.
Panthers debutant Viliame Kikau and youngster Dylan Edwards joined Whare in cracking the game open with a three-try burst in a 12-minute period leading into halftime.
Kikau produced a defensive highlight moments before his four-pointer, crunching Tigers star fullback James Tedesco with a ground-shaking tackle in a memorable first performance.
Penrith continued their dominance in the second half through a shock try to Leilani Latu, who climbed over David Nofoaluma to take a Te Maire Martin bomb in the 49th minute.
The visitors sealed the win with tries to Whare and Nathan Cleary late in the second half.
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