For years considered the territory of their longtime rivals in Parramatta, Penrith players have now been advised to adopt CommBank Stadium as their own home ground as they aim for an unprecedented fifth consecutive premiership title.
Moreover, the club has taken extraordinary steps to ensure that the Panthers players feel at ease in what used to be hostile ground for the upcoming two years, during which time their new stadium will be constructed.
At the conclusion of their pre-season training camp, the athletes were placed right in the heart of Parramatta Park and informed that reaching CommBank Stadium was their ultimate objective.
They were instructed to finish a boxing course, accomplish a 10-kilometre run, and carry their equipment to their new residence.
Over there, they participated in a smoking ceremony on Burramattagal land and were reminded of the significance of the location and greeted warmly.
The players proceeded to explore their new sheds prior to strolling barefoot onto the pitch, selecting a blade of grass and imagining themselves competing there.
The Panthers aim to turn their homecoming into an unforgettable celebration as they welcome the Sydney Roosters on Friday evening.
"We understand that's our home now for the next two seasons," Penrith captain Isaah Yeo told aynur1015.blogspot.com.
It's crucial to become acquainted with all aspects and recognize that there will be substantial effort invested at that venue.
Ultimately, everything will pay off since we now have a completely new stadium in Penrith.
Despite all the focus on players like Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary, or James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota, one significant connection severed this year has been between the Panthers and Penrith Park.
Over the course of Penrith's five-year reign, they have suffered defeats at their home ground only seven times.
Whenever they were close to their best lineup with Cleary and Luai in the attacking positions, the record was 32 wins to 4 losses.
"Ivanka Cleary from Penrith mentioned that they have quite an impressive track record at BlueBet, which they really enjoy, however, they also maintain strong performances at various other locations too," he stated.
It began way back in 2021 during our time in Queensland due to the pandemic, where we found ourselves playing at Suncorp Stadium almost every week.
We had some successes there as well, making it yet another area of achievement.
Approximately 15,000 people are anticipated for Friday evening, marking a smaller turnout compared to all previous figures recorded at Penrith Park after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
However, Penrith is well aware that shifting 35 kilometers to the east could serve as a means to make things feel distinct come 2025, just as it has been pivotal during each season of their celebrated four-peat championship run.
"Surely it does," Yeo stated.
I don't believe this constitutes a hardship. However, it could potentially be less one-sided for Penrith when considering supporters and the atmosphere.
Whenever you have the chance to experience settings different from those at home, I believe it will prove beneficial over time.
