They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Well, this Saturday night Penrith Park’s journey as the home of the mighty Penrith Panthers comes to an end.
Since the beginning of the season, all Penrith players and supporters have known that BlueBet Stadium will cease to exist in its current form at the end of 2024.
It will be torn down shortly after the final siren sounds and be replaced by new grandstands and facilities which will bring it well and truly into the 21st Century.
It will take two years before it’s ready to reopen to the Panthers faithful. A place we can all gather again and cheer on our mighty football team.
I’ve been attending Penrith Park since 1991. I remember the first time I walked in and felt the butterflies of excitement in my stomach. It felt comfortable to be there.
It felt like home.
I pulled out my fold-up chair and sat with my friends just on the concourse near the old Panthers scoreboard end of the field. I was in rugby league heaven.
I also remember the strong smell of Dencorub as I walked by the old ‘away dressing sheds’ on the side of the Western Grandstand while watching the kids slide down the hill on bits of broken cardboard.
A year later I remember watching a talented youngster by the name of Luke Goodwin play in all three grades for Penrith.
He started the day in Jersey Flegg, played some time in Reserve grade then he made his first grade debut after Greg Alexander sustained a knee injury midway through the first grade match against the Illawarra Steelers.
Since that day, I remember a lot of things about Penrith Park. Sitting in the media box before there was air-conditioning and helping set up the media room right next to where the players got dressed.
I remember some wonderful victories as well.
Everything from beating the Wests Tigers in 2000 after being behind 31-8 with less than 20 on the clock to watching Paul Franze score the match winning try against the Brisbane Broncos in 2005.
I remember the losses too. The wooden spoon days. The half-empty stadiums. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything. They make you appreciate the good times even more.
I’ve thought long and hard about how to express in words what Penrith Park has meant to me and how much I’ll miss it over the next two years. Sometimes you just can’t write something better than what’s already been written.
So, I’d like to finish my final thoughts and feelings on Penrith Park by borrowing just some of the words spoken by coach Ivan Cleary and the players during ‘The Last Ride’ video.
Since our inception in 1967 there’s a place we’ve all been called to.
A place where all who don our colours belong.
A place where our community unites.
Call it what you like.
A stadium. A field. A jungle. A Fortress
And there’s one more thing it will always be to me.
My home.
Peter Lang
Peter Lang is an experienced sports writer, who has been covering rugby league for several decades. He first wrote Lang on League for the Weekender in the 1990s, and worked for Panthers on its famous Panthers Magazine for several years.