Penrith players have partied into the early hours of this morning as the reality of sealing a rugby league dynasty sets in.
The Panthers won their fourth straight Premiership with a 14-6 victory over the Storm at Accor Stadium in front of more than 80,000 fans.
It was the Grand Final we all expected – low scoring, defence-focused and down to the wire.
The Panthers celebrated their incredible four-peat by gathering on the Accor Stadium surface long after the last supporter had left the ground.
Many players probably don’t yet grasp the fact that this kind of sustained Premiership success hasn’t existed since the 1950s and 1960s, when St George won 11 straight Grand Finals – though the game back then is barely recognisable compared to what it is today both on and off the field.
The players arrived back at Panthers Leagues Club around 2am, acknowledging many fans who’d stuck around to cheer their heroes. They then partied at a private function inside the EVAN Theatre and will continue celebrations behind closed doors at the Panthers Academy today.
The celebrations will continue in a more formal setting on Tuesday night with the Merv Cartwright Medal before a fan day is held on Wednesday.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.