From tears to triumph: Team Cleary put it all in perspective

Nathan Cleary took the extraordinary step of publicly thanking vanquished Melbourne after breaking their hearts at Accor Stadium.

Speaking at full-time in the breakneck 14-6 win at Accor Stadium, the 2023 Clive Churchill Medallist claimed the Panthers would never have kicked off their four-premiership run had Craig Bellamy’s men not beaten them 26-20 on October 5 2020.

“We shed a few tears five years ago after being beaten by these guys who have been the benchmark for so long,” Cleary jnr told ABC Radio. "And now we have four in a row it is unbelievable.

“We actually needed that back then; I honestly don’t believe we would have won four in a row if we didn’t lose that one.

"It really made us find that ruthless edge that we needed, that Melbourne do have. It was a shit feeling at the time but we’re grateful for it now.”

After Melbourne’s minor premiership, Panthers forward Luke Garner said on 2GB: “We had a bit of a chip on our shoulder to get them back.”

Cleary continued: “It is always a battle against these guys. They have been the benchmark for so long, always at the top and I think that was the hardest game I have ever played. It was just end to end, how they were holding on for so long but kept turning up.

“It is just a pleasure being a part of a group like this. All year our defence wasn’t right but come the big games we found and we definitely found it tonight.”

Having played down the seriousness of a shoulder injury all week, the Australia half admitted: “It’s alright, it was enough to play.

“It just got caught in a few awkward positions and it was a bit tight. I will probably get surgery in the off-season, to be honest.”

Meanwhile first-half Panthers tryscorer Liam Martin played down his effort, saying “I just had to run 10 meters and put it down.”

Meanwhile, coach Ivan Cleary described Penrith’s fourth consecutive premiership in three one-syllable words - “the best one”.

The Panthers etched themselves in premiership history in a manner that will remain indelible when they edged out table-tipping Melbourne 14-6 in a contest of breathtaking quality and speed before 80,156 fans at Accor Stadium.

It was a match they led 10-6 at the break and sealed with a 63rd minute touchdown to preliminary final hero Paul Alamoti.

“Yeah, I think that might have been the best one,” the coach told Sydney radio station 2GB at full-time.

“It was just incredible - what a game of footy from both teams. The Storm were amazing, they just never let up. 

“It just felt like we were out on our feet in that second half. We just kept finding something when we needed it. 

“We just got the job done.”

It’s the first time in the salary capped and limited tackle eras a team has lifted the trophy on four consecutive years and the best run since St George’s fabled 11-title run between 1956-66.

Paying tribute to Alamoti, who during the build-up thanked his widowed dad for getting him to the greatest moment of his career, the coach said: “He’s saved his best until last. These have probably been his best games. 

“He really bought into our culture. We really needed him and he stepped it up.”

On the dais, co-captain Isaah Yeo told the celebrating fans: “To do what we have done I can’t see it being done again. It is just such a special group.

He added on 2GB: “We just did what we did the last five years - back our defence. Everyone talks about our spine - I back our defence.

“That was bloody hard. You trust everyone to do their jobs. We did it again. We’ll reflect on it and go again next year.”