Panthers are pretty in pink

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Tim Grant admits that nobody wants to get beaten while wearing a pink jersey, but says the entire Panthers squad is proud to get on board with the Women in League concept.

“All the boys are on board with it and they get excited to whack the pink jersey on,” said the 112kg prop forward. “I don’t think it’s a problem – it’s the 21st century, it’s not a problem.”

Grant and his team-mates will all don pink this weekend for Saturday night’s clash against Parramatta at Centrebet Stadium, with the main aim to honour the women involved in rugby league.

“Here at the Panthers we’ve got a lot of women working upstairs and they do a great job, and I think it wouldn’t run as smooth without them,” he said.

In what has become an annual tradition, everything from the players’ jerseys to their shorts and socks will be pink in an effort to support the Women in League round and raise money for the McGrath Foundation.

Panthers kicked off celebrations with a luncheon on Monday and on Tuesday, Grant joined Luke Lewis and Dayne Weston to talk about the positive message the pink outfit conveys.

“The boys embrace it pretty well,” Lewis said.

“The boys are looking forward to this weekend… running out in the pink jersey and hopefully we’ll do all the women proud out there.”

Adding to the female flavour of the match against the Eels on Saturday, the Panthers have confirmed that Lewis’ wife Sonia will share the ground announcing duties with Andrew Voss.

Other initiatives will also be rolled out and the stadium will be re-named McGrath Foundation Stadium for the day, as it was last year.

On Wednesday, One Community Ambassadors Trent Barrett and Mario Fenech and the New South Wales State women’s team joined forces with over 250 primary and high school girls for a day of rugby league at the Women and Girls Gala day at Hickey’s Lane in Penrith.

It was the first time the girls hit the field in a competition format after completing Backyard League and Tackle programs during the term, with students from Shelley and Marayong Primary joining the older girls from Springwood, St Clair, Mt Druitt, Cranebrook and Glenmore Park High Schools.


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