Penrith players and fans celebrate fourth NRL grand final win, Mary Fowler’s message to Nathan Cleary

The Panthers have appropriately celebrated the day after their historic grand final victory, featuring some memorable social media content and a special congratualtions from Mary Fowler. See how the day of celebration unfolded.

Departing powerhouse prop James Fisher-Harris has paid tribute to Penrith’s first ever premiership winning side, celebrating his fourth-straight title win in the club’s 1991 jumper.

Fisher-Harris, who will join the Warriors in 2025, was spotted wearing both versions of the 1991 jersey during grand final celebrations at the Panthers Rugby League Academy on Monday.

Celebrations were a low key affair with the champion side going behind closed doors to celebrate Sunday night’s history-making win over Melbourne at Accor Stadium.

The club’s academy was closed to the media on Monday morning with security guards posted at the entrance of the training facilities.

Parts of the academy were blacked out and a marquee set up inside the facility.

That didn’t stop hordes of Penrith fans making their way to the training ground during the day in a bid to get a glimpse of their grand final heroes.

The Panthers’ celebrations ran well into Monday afternoon. Picture Thomas Lisson

James Fisher Harris and teammates leaves Penrith Panthers Academy. Picture Thomas Lisson

Players were carpooled in and out the centre of excellence during the day, with some waving at waiting media and fans through their car windows.

Star centre Izack Tago was one of the first players spotted on Monday morning, walking into the training grounds draped in a Samoan flag.

Others like Clive Churchill Medallist and Lindsay Smith and Lindsay Smith were briefly spotted before getting into an Uber to continue celebrations at another location.

Maverick Geyer Liam Martin Mathew Eisenhuth leave Penrith Panthers Academy. Picture Thomas Lisson

Lindsay Smith arrives for the party. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Celebrations kicked off at Accor Stadium, where players like Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai and Brian To’o proudly showed off their four premiership rings on social media.

“4 of them,” Cleary said in reference to the players’ haul of bling.

Hooker Mitch Kenny joked he was “back to work”, posting a photo of himself mowing the turf at Accor Stadium.

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Former Penrith premiership winners Stephen Crichton and Spencer Leniu were also in the 80,000 strong crowd at Accor Stadium on Sunday night to witness their close mates make rugby league history.

Canterbury skipper Crichton was on hand to congratulate Brian To’o and Jarome Luai immediately after full-time and was spotted embracing both of his former teammates.

“Our brothers did that,” Crichton wrote.

“So proud of you fam, no other like this.”

Sydney Roosters enforce Leniu and Crichton won three premierships with Penrith before taking lucrative deals to join their current clubs.

The best mates, who are also all Samoan teammates, have remained close friends despite being torn apart by the salary cap squeeze that has come on the back of Penrith’s sustained title success.

After soaking up the win at Accor Stadium, the players were bussed to the club’s precinct, where thousands of adoring fans and members were waiting to get a glimpse of players with the Provan Summons trophy in the early hours of Monday morning.

James Fisher-Harris greets fans at the Leagues club.

Liam Henry is all smiles on the return to the Leagues club.

Normally, the premiers would head to Bluebet Stadium to celebrate with fans at an official grand final event.

But the club has opted to delay their fan day until Wednesday, breaking from what has become an annual tradition.

Scott Sorensen celebrates with fans at the Panthers Leagues club.

Mitch Kenny celebrates with a ‘shoey’.

There was even more reason to celebrate for four Penrith stars on Monday after the history-making title win with selection in Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad.

Meaning announced a new look Australian side after swinging the axe, dumping incumbent skipper James Tedesco at fullback for Panthers no.1 Dylan Edwards.

The move effectively ends Tedesco’s international career with Edwards usurping the Sydney Roosters custodian as first choice fullback in the green and gold.

Penrith skipper Isaah Yeo has also been elevated as the national captain for this month’s Pacific Championships.

Hard nosed backrower Liam Martin, who was named best on ground on Sunday night as Clive Churchill medallist, capped off an incredible 24-hours with selection in Meninga’s outfit.

Rising prop Lindsay Smith is also in line to make his international debut after he was also named in the squad on Monday.

Superstar halfback Nathan Cleary was unavailable for selection and is expected to go under the knife to repair the shoulder injury he carried throughout the finals series.

TO’O’S BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

It’s the breakfast of champions or if you’re Penrith star Brian To’o, the breakfast of a four-time premiership winner.

The powerhouse winger made headlines in the lead-up to Sunday’s grand final win after revealing to this masthead the game day breakfast that fuels his blockbusting runs.

And the morning menu is not for the faint-hearted.

Every game day To’o chows down on two breakfast burgers, a bowl of chips, six Coke Zeros and a caramel latte with two sugars and extra syrup.

The 26-year old enjoyed his go-to breakfast again on Monday morning at a local cafe in Penrith with his wife Moesha and son Arteus.

To’o posted a video of himself about to tuck into the breakfast, along with each one of his six drinks of Coke Zero.

“2 breakie burgers, bowl of fries, 6 Coke Zeros, Caramel latte 2 sugars extra syrup. You’re welcome,” To’o wrote on Instagram.

While To’o’s large breakfast has left many of his teammates dumbfounded, the Panthers star has no plans to reign in the huge calorie intake anytime soon.

“People always get weirded out with my breakfast,” To’o told this masthead.

“They think something is wrong with me but it’s all good.”

Brian To'o battled a knee injury during the grand final. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

To’o has been one the game’s best metre eaters and regularly cracks the 200 metre mark.

Despite playing through a painful knee injury, To’o still managed 186 metres in Sunday’s historic title win over Melbourne at Accor Stadium.

Though clearly hampered by the knee clash, suffered in the opening exchanges of the grand final, coach Ivan Cleary was forced to take To’o from the field in the 57 minute as he struggled to compete on kick chases.

“We were getting hurt on those kick chases a bit, and the Storm are smart enough that they would pick that up,” Cleary said after the match.

“I said, ‘take one last carry’, and it was the best carry he had made in 15 minutes.”

To’o untimely knee injury has left the Samoan international in some doubt for this month’s Pacific Championships, which begin on October 14.

FOWLER’S INSTA ADMIRATION FOR NATHAN

Matildas star Mary Fowler, who watched Cleary and his Panthers make history from Manchester, also took to social media to celebrate the victory.

Mary Fowler took to Instagram to celebrate Penrith's grand final victory.

Fowler posted a photo of Cleary with the NRL trophy with a caption that simply read “Him” along with a love heart and flame emoji.

Fowler, who scored a goal in Manchester City’s win against West Ham overnight, then took to Instagram to celebrate both victories.

The City striker posted a photo wearing a Panthers training jumper with Cleary’s Penrith player number “560”.

“A good weekend indeed,” Fowler wrote.

Originally published as Penrith players and fans celebrate fourth NRL grand final win, Mary Fowler’s message to Nathan Cleary