How these photos prove Penrith stars were sure they’d win the grand final long before kickoff
- Panthers went into the game as slight underdogs
- A telltale sign showed that players were extremely confident
The bookmakers were the Panthers’ underdogs for Sunday night’s grand final, but telltale signs from the team’s wild celebrations prove their stars were always confident of a win.
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 photos with all four of their premiership rings.
Later in the dressing room, other Panthers such as Scott Sorensen were also caught wearing four examples of the most sought-after jewelery in rugby league.
Obviously, the Stars didn’t send team staff to their homes to retrieve the rings; they brought them to the Accor Stadium in anticipation of victory.
Premiership rings are among any footballer’s most prized possessions, and stars who lose them (such as Newcastle Knights great Marc Glanville) are left devastated when they go missing.
In 2014, ex-Souths star Dylan Walker was a shattered man after losing his ring in Sydney Harbor while partying on a boat trip with teammates.
Jarome Luai (left) and Brian To’o pose with all four of their premiership rings after their 14-6 win over Melbourne on Sunday night
Moses Leota (left) and Izack Tago (right) also showed off their extensive collection of football jewelry, signaling the team’s confidence in victory
No footy star in their right mind would risk losing everyone they own by releasing them all publicly unless they had a very good reason – so Penrith’s now legendary stars must be convinced that they would get the chance to show them all off on camera once the decider was over.
This year’s premiership memorabilia are worth $10,000 each and were partly designed by Souths and Roosters icon Ron Coote, who was inducted as the NRL’s newest Immortal earlier this year.
Not available for purchase by the public, each ring features two carats of diamonds, a silhouette of Coote in action and the player’s number engraved on the side.
The design is changed for each grand final, with Anthony Albanese, Johnathan Thurston and iconic commentator Ray Warren contributing to the look of the jewelery in recent years.
Penrith players are now keen to win another grand final so they can wear a ring on each finger of one hand.
‘We’re not done yet. That’s one thing we said about our legacy,â Clive Churchill Medal winner Liam Martin said at the celebrations.
Scott Sorensen (pictured left with coach Ivan Cleary) also showed off a handful of diamonds after the team’s fourth consecutive premiership
‘We are not done yet, we want more and we will continue. What we have done so far is very special.
âI want five (premierships). There are still enough fingers left for the ring.
‘This feeling is addictive. This is why we play football, why we do it and show up day in and day out. We are definitely hungrier and can’t wait to go again.’
Next year will theoretically pose Penrith’s biggest challenge since this group reached the NRL grand final for the first time in 2020, with Luai and Fisher-Harris at the heart of their success.
The pair will join the likes of Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, Api Koroisau, Kurt Capewell and Viliame Kikau as stars to have left the club during their run.