'I used to be scared to fail': Why the 2020 grand ultimate was the final time the Panthers had been ever afraid

Penrith’s survivors of the 2020 grand ultimate bear in mind it nicely as a result of it was the final time they had been afraid.

Not of Melbourne, pretty much as good because the Storm had been. For all their talent and toughness, they had been simply one other group and the Panthers concern nothing made from flesh and blood.

However they had been scared — scared to lose, to let individuals down, to come back so near a premiership and stroll away empty handed.

“Within the first grand ultimate I used to be actually nervous, which is regular, however I used to be scared to fail,” Brian To’o stated.

“If I used to be to speak to my previous self I would say to not be afraid to fail, simply chill out, embrace the excessive feelings.”

Moses Leota is 107kg of Samoan metal who runs like he fears nothing, as a result of he would not, and he has received a thousand battles, huge and small, within the years since then but it surely was the identical for him on that day 4 years in the past.

“I bear in mind being actually nervous, fearful of failure and what may occur if it would not come off,” Leota stated.

“I believe should you’re ever in that spot I inform myself to assault it, overcome your fears, assault it head on. If it would not occur, it would not occur – all you are able to do is have a crack.

“Assault all the things, take each day and minute because it comes.”

Liam Martin, Penrith’s assault canine of a backrower, struggled to maintain issues down within the moments earlier than the match. It was all so new to him, and his teammates, and that yr was crammed with so many firsts.

Halfway by means of the earlier season, the Panthers had been lifeless final and ultimately limped to ending eleventh. Going from that to such dominance so shortly – they misplaced only one match in all of 2020 earlier than the grand ultimate – is sufficient to make anyone’s head spin.

“I am not one to get sick earlier than a sport however I used to be almost spewing,” Martin stated.

“It was the identical within the first ultimate all of us performed in opposition to the Roosters right here at house that yr, I did not know what finals footy was going to be like and I used to be nervous and nervous about it.

“Wanting again now it is humorous, it does go to a different stage but it surely’s nonetheless footy.”

It is a unusual factor, to observe that grand ultimate again now and see the previous faces lengthy since moved on and the youthful ones who had been simply getting began.

From the opening whistle, Penrith has the identical physicality and ferocity we’ve got come to know however it’s unfastened, wild and uncontrolled, not targeted and exact as it could develop into.

They go to Viliame Kikau an excessive amount of and too early. Cleary throws a wild go he would by no means throw right this moment that is intercepted and brought the size of the sector by Suliasi Vunivalu.

Execution is off, bounces do not go their manner and after they go away the sector at halftime, down 26-0 with their solely concern coming to life, they appear like they can not consider what’s occurring to them. 

Penrith fought again to solely lose by six, however a win by no means appeared possible. A few of them wept afterwards, their tears misplaced within the rain. 

It is like seeing a relic from one other time, an novice combat of a future heavyweight champion. It is lengthy sufficient in the past that James Tamou was nonetheless the captain, membership stalwart Josh Mansour was holding up a wing and Spencer Leniu, who received the subsequent three titles with them earlier than departing for the Roosters, is not within the aspect in any respect.

At the beginning of that season Isaah Yeo was nonetheless a second rower, Stephen Crichton was a utility again on the bench and Jarome Luai had performed a grand whole of 1 NRL sport alongside Nathan Cleary.

From there so lots of them have gone on to do extraordinary issues and within the grand ultimate they’re contemporary confronted and plenty of of them have brutally quick hair cuts, like schoolboys on picture day.

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They’re not at all previous now, however you’ll be able to really feel simply how younger they was once.

“You do not assume you’ve got aged however then you definately see these previous pictures and also you assume ‘Jesus, it is catching up with us,'” Martin stated.

“Every grand ultimate you get to understand it much more.”

Within the time since, Penrith has rebuilt the concept of success in its picture. Of the 66 males who appeared within the NRL this yr who’ve received a premiership, greater than a 3rd of them have executed it with the Panthers.

There aren’t any demons left from that first grand ultimate night time as a result of they slayed these beasts and after that there was nothing left to concern.

All of them watched a replay of it collectively within the 2021 pre-season and from there they left it behind, banishing any likelihood of an enduring hangover with a preliminary ultimate victory over Melbourne later that yr en path to their first premiership collectively in opposition to South Sydney.

It is helped propel them to three-straight premierships, and maybe a fourth, after they can come full circle and beat a remodelled Storm to cap the best successful run of recent occasions and provides them a critical declare to being the very best group ever, if they do not have one already.

Now, being afraid is only a factor different individuals really feel about them, and nerves are only a reminiscence of a time earlier than they had been nice.

The 2020 grand ultimate in all probability by no means comes up now at Penrith, until journalists begin asking about it. 

Solely eight of the Penrith gamers from the match will line up for the rematch on Sunday night time.

However the classes nonetheless run deep, even for many who got here after, as a result of it was the night time that made them into what they’re now.

It destroyed them, so they may rebuild themselves anew, more durable and stronger and higher and actually fearless they usually have not stopped successful since.

“That was a very long time in the past. We discovered our classes,” To’o stated.

“As soon as we bought that little style it made us hungrier. Shedding that first one was devastating, we by no means wished to have that feeling once more.

“Everybody dialled in from the subsequent yr and the remaining speaks for itself, everybody’s been getting in the identical path ever since.”