- The Panthers entered the game as slight underdogs
- A telltale sign showed that the players were extremely confident
Bookmakers had the Panthers as underdogs for Sunday night’s grand final, but telltale signs from the team’s wild celebrations show their stars were always supremely confident of winning.
Just minutes after the siren sounded in Penrith’s 14-6 win over Melbourne, stars including Jarome Luai, Moses Leota, Izack Tago and Brian To’o posed for photographs with their four premiership rings.
Later, in the locker room, other Panthers such as Scott Sorensen were also photographed wearing four examples of the most sought-after jewels in rugby league.
It’s obvious that the Stars didn’t send any of the team’s staff home to pick up the rings, but rather brought them to Accor Stadium in anticipation of victory.
Premiership rings are among the most prized possessions of any football star, and stars who lose them, such as Newcastle Knights great Marc Glanville, are left devastated when they disappear.
In 2014, former Souths star Dylan Walker was devastated after losing his ring in Sydney Harbor while celebrating on a boat trip with his teammates.
Jarome Luai (left) and Brian To’o pose with their four premiership rings after their 14-6 win over Melbourne on Sunday night.
Moses Leota (left) and Izack Tago (right) also showed off their extensive collections of football jewelry in a tell-tale sign that the team was confident of victory.
No football star in their right mind would risk losing everything they own by putting them all out in public unless they had a very good reason, so the now legendary Penrith stars must have been convinced they would get the chance to show them off. all by the camera once the decider is over.
This year’s premiership memorabilia is worth $10,000 each and was designed in part by Souths and Roosters icon Ron Coote, who was inducted as the NRL’s newest Immortal earlier this year.
Each ring, which is not available for public purchase, features two carats of diamonds, a silhouette of Coote in action and the player’s number engraved on the side.
The design changes with each Grand Final, with Anthony Albanese, Johnathan Thurston and iconic commentator Ray Warren contributing to the look of the jewels in previous years.
Penrith players are now eager to win another grand final so they can wear a ring on each finger of one hand.
‘We’re not done yet. That’s something we said about our legacy,’ said Liam Martin, winner of the Clive Churchill medal, amid the celebrations.
Scott Sorensen (pictured left with coach Ivan Cleary) was also showing off a handful of diamonds after the team’s fourth straight title.
‘We are not finished, we want more and we will continue. It’s really special what we’ve done so far.
‘I want five (prime ministers). There are still many fingers left for the ring.
‘This feeling is addictive. That’s why we play football, that’s why we do it and show up day in and day out. “We’re definitely hungrier and can’t wait to go again.”
In theory, next year will present Penrith’s biggest challenge since this group first reached the NRL grand final in 2020, with Luai and Fisher-Harris at the center of their success.
The pair will join the likes of Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, Api Koroisau, Kurt Capewell and Viliame Kikau as stars who left the club during their careers.