Penrith Panthers co-captain Nathan Cleary leaves League Club the morning after NRL grand final win

Nathan Cleary, co-captain of Penrith Panthers, has been spotted heading home from the NRL’s grand final wearing ski goggles with KFC wipes on the front.

Cleary had spent the night partying after the NRL Panthers big win against the Parramatta Eels on Sunday night.

The win marks Penrith’s second consecutive premiership, beating their fellow western Sydney team 28-12.

Cleary left the Penrith Leagues Club shirtless early Monday morning ahead of Mad Monday events.

When asked what it felt like to celebrate the win with his father, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary, he said: “It makes it a little bit more special, but saying that makes it more about the group.”

“Just very blessed.”

He added that he was “going home to get an hour of sleep” before the club’s fan day.

‘Look forward. That’s why I go home for an hour of sleep. I’m going to enjoy it more,” he said.

‘I think it’s cool Para, and Penrith was able to present in a grand finale, Western Sydney, you know, through and through. It’s never happened before. They are both crazy. It’s pretty cool.

‘You work hard for this. At the beginning of the year, you have the goal of trying to get to this stage, only to compete for the final, and you know we did that this year.

“We were lucky to win. We’ve done it for the past three years. We lost one, won two. I’m sure what I prefer.

“I want to say a huge thank you to the fans. I couldn’t do it without you. Thanks for all the support.’

Cleary joked that he managed not to damage this year’s big final trophy because: ‘I don’t want fines’.

His teammates shared online clips and photos from their wild night of victory.

Apisai Koroisauwas shot with premiership rings before being brutally shut down over his plans to leave the team in 2023.

“You don’t win them with the Tigers,” his teammate joked.

Viliame Kikau will also leave the team next year, along with assistant coaches Andrew Webster and Cameron Ciraldo.

Coach Ivan Cleary said the team members would be missed next season.

“It’s hard to put into words. It’s been an emotional 24 hours for sure, I got a little emotional yesterday. I don’t even know why,” Cleary told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I think it’s because of this moment in time. This team won’t stay together, it’s just such a great opportunity. You just want it to go well on the big night and I couldn’t have asked for anything more, the guys were incredible.

“It is very sad that players and technical staff will no longer be together.”

UFC star Bam Bam Tuivasa joined in on the fun and was included during a shoey with the team after the match.

Five-eighth Jarome Luai posed for a photo with the trophy while smoking a cigar.

Panthers chairman Matt Cameron said the celebrations continued well into Monday morning, with the team finally being able to celebrate a premiership on their own turf.

“The boys came back last night and had a function. They’re still upstairs somewhere. We’re across the street from the stadium. It’s going to be a good day,” he told Today.

“Of course we did it in 2020 with reduced capacity on the ground and at the leagues club in 2021 they were in Brisbane.

“The community couldn’t celebrate the way they wanted. Last night was a great opportunity. You’ve heard Ivan speak before, we’re proud the club is a source of community pride. I think we ticked that box last night.’