- Outgoing Penrith star excited after fourth straight title
- He was being interviewed before moving to the rival club.
- Fans couldn’t help but laugh at their daughter’s actions.
Outgoing Penrith Panthers star James Fisher-Harris bid an emotional farewell to his fans, but it was his daughter Tahira who stole the moment.
Fisher-Harris has played in four of the Panthers’ premiership wins from 2021 through Sunday’s grand final over Melbourne Storm.
He will now leave for the New Zealand Warriors after wanting to return to his home country for family reasons.
The towering prop is not well known for his speeches, but he said a touching farewell to his Penrith fans.
But Tahira managed to upstage her dad, with a cheeky moment where she threw confetti in his face as he tried to be serious.
However, that did not deter the Panthers forward, who said the moment of securing a fourth consecutive premiership was surreal.
‘I really can’t believe it to be honest. Even the way the game developed,” he said.
“Storm was really good tonight, but now I’m reflecting a little bit on the years with the brothers and it was nice to spend more time with the brothers in a game like that.
“To end on a good note like that, I’m still pinching my skin to be honest.”
Outgoing Penrith Panthers star James Fisher-Harris managed to keep a straight face when his daughter Tahira threw confetti at him mid-interview.
It was difficult to put into words for Fisher-Harris, who has established relationships with the Panthers that are more family than friends.
“Everyone knows, as everyone knows within these four walls, that there is nothing but love and, to be honest, I’m very happy to be a part of it,” he said.
‘Yes, this is my second family and, yes, I am at peace with everything, my decision and everything, but it has been an incredible journey.
It’s been a roller coaster for me on and off the field. Personal reasons and injuries too, I love this place and it’s very difficult to get away from it, but it’s something I’ve had to do.
“But yeah, I’m going to celebrate with the boys one more time.”
Channel Nine personality Phil Gould was Penrith’s boss during their rebuild which included the recruitment of Fisher-Harris.
He spoke glowingly about his evolution and his rise from clumsy rookie to four-time NRL champion.
“He’s a very special character, James Fisher-Harris,” Gould said.
“He was extremely tough, he had two left feet and two left hands, he didn’t know much about the game but he trained, he ran and he was tough.”
‘The story goes that when they were defeated in the 2020 Grand Final, he went to training two days later and started training and practically everyone followed him back to the gym.
‘That’s the story, as I understand it, that he was determined to overcome that disappointment and win the premiership.
‘They have now won four in a row, but he has been an integral part in developing and also mentoring these youngsters who have come up.
“When he arrived at the club he was 17 years old, now he is 27, 28 years old and he is the leader of the club and that is what marks the club’s DNA.”