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Friday, October 7, 2022
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TROY DODDS
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enrith’s greatest ever period of success has delivered the once struggling club a second straight Premiership and confirmed the Panthers are an unstoppable rugby league juggernaut. It is impossible to argue with James Fisher-Harris’ cheeky claim that this is the best Penrith team of all-time. They are delivering an unprecedented sustained period of success and have lost just 10 games in the past three seasons, breaking countless records along the way. Coach Ivan Cleary and his co-captain son Nathan have also entered Panthers immortality, creating all sorts of history in what was one of the greatest Premiership defences the game has ever seen. Ivan is now the only Penrith coach to have won dual Premierships with the club, while at just 24 Nathan is on his way to becoming the club’s greatest ever player. But Cleary was overshadowed on Grand Final night by a stunning performance from fullback Dylan Edwards, who claimed the Clive Churchill Medal as player of the match. Penrith players and fans partied long and hard into the night after Sunday’s 28-12 demolition of Parramatta. It was a definitive game of this incredible Penrith era and proved the club’s dominance of the competition over the past three seasons. It was billed as the greatest Battle of the West in history but almost from the kick-off it was obvious Parramatta were little chance of stopping a switched on Penrith. Eels fans were barely in their seats by the time it was obvious the trophy was staying at the foot of the Mountains. Penrith has emerged from an 18-year title drought and near collapse to now have two more Grand Final wins, and show no sign of slowing down. The scenes at Panthers Leagues Club after the game and at a fan day on Monday at BlueBet Stadium prove this Penrith team has won over the community. From Bathurst to Blacktown, Penrith officially own the west – the result of hard work, taking a chance and a playing group that has taken the NRL by storm. Full coverage starts » p. 27
Ivan and Nathan Cleary. Photo: NRL Images.
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