The Panthers are bracing for more than just a clash with James Fisher-Harris when they face the Warriors in Auckland.
A cheeky social media post has encouraged fans to make life miserable for the visitors ahead of Saturday’s elimination final.
Suggestions included fireworks, burnouts and even egging Ivan Cleary’s coach’s box.
But the Penrith coach took it all in stride, saying he’s more worried about eggs than his former front-rower.
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Cleary shrugs off fan antics
“I just worry about eggs, not Fish (Fisher-Harris),” Cleary said.
“I’m not too worried. I have some experience with the Warriors fan base. They’re a good natured lot and very passionate.”
Cleary revealed Penrith had already experienced similar disruption in the 2022 finals.
“It actually happened to us in 2022 when we were staying in Parramatta before a prelim,” he recalled.
“Parra beat the Cowboys up in North Queensland, so we were pretty much kept up all night. That one worked out OK.”
Panthers’ turnaround
While the fan antics add spice to this week’s final, Penrith’s own resurgence is the real story.
The Panthers were bottom of the ladder after 12 rounds but stormed back with nine straight wins to reach September.
Their streak included a shock win over the Warriors during Origin, and they now have a chance to make history as the first NRL era side to win the premiership from outside the top four.
“It came after the Bathurst game,” Cleary said of the turnaround.
“That was the line-in-the-sand moment where we were so disgusted with how it was going. We just had to be real with ourselves, and the boys to their credit took over from there.”
Selection shuffle
Penrith’s preparations have been hit by the loss of Mitch Kenny, who suffered a hamstring injury.
Luke Sommerton has been named to start at hooker in his place.
“It’s a fair out because Mitch has been critically important to us for a long period of time,” Cleary said.
“We’re trying to not focus on who’s out but who’s in, and ‘Sommo’ comes in and for two seasons has been good for us every time he’s come in.”
Cleary also made the tough decision to drop Tom Jenkins, despite the winger being crowned Members Player of the Year after a 13-try season.
“Tom is having an amazing year and is one of the best stories of our season, so he’ll be ready when he’s needed,” Cleary said.
Paul Alamoti returns to the wing as Penrith look to continue their remarkable late-season surge.
Focus on finals
For Cleary, the message is clear heading into Auckland.
“There are plenty of people - including ourselves - trying to validate why it was going badly,” he said.
“In the end, we stopped worrying about what might be and what had happened in the past and just concentrated on starting to play and preparing to a level that we could at least be proud of and can give our community.
“We just focused on one week at a time, and before you knew it, here we are.”