More often than not, the phrase “dynasty” is thrown round too readily with regards to sport.
It is a regal phrase which conjures photographs of palaces, thrones, glinting crowns and an empire on which the solar by no means units, one which lasts for hundreds of years and feels everlasting.
No matter Penrith are doing will not final for hundreds of years. It won’t even final into subsequent yr. However with the Panthers staring true greatness lifeless within the eye, dynasty just isn’t a unclean phrase.
It’d really feel untimely to some, however the quantity stack up. Making three grand finals in a row is not simple – the groups which have executed it up to now half-century are sides like Peter Sterling’s Eels, Mal Meninga’s Raiders or, extra just lately, Cameron Smith’s Storm.
Likewise, going back-to-back takes a good bit of doing. Allan Langer’s Broncos did it, and so did Boyd Cordner’s Roosters.
All the groups described above are among the many finest of contemporary instances, groups that dominated and outlined their time and reside eternally in our recollections because of this. Now, with another win, Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary’s Panthers can be part of them.
They’ll go from good to nice and remodel from one other championship aspect to one thing everlasting, in entrance of our very eyes.
Strolling that path is not with out it is struggles, and their 32-12 win over South Sydney didn’t have the inevitable qualities of Penrith’s signature wins.
The Rabbitohs acquired off to a scorching begin and led 12-0 in opposition to a Panthers workforce who seemed somewhat underdone after only one match at full energy up to now three weeks.
However each workforce with dynastic credentials has its personal distinctive superpower. For some groups it is their attacking class, their defensive resolve, or a capability to execute below strain that wilts different groups.
For Penrith, it is their relentless physicality. They’re a skilful aspect to make sure, however their true brilliance is of their brutality.
They will not cease hitting laborious till both they or their opponents break, and Penrith forgot what breaking even looks like a very long time in the past.
That is how, within the area of 10 minutes earlier than half time, Penrith levelled up from 12 factors down, with Brian To’o undoing a lot of South Sydney’s good work with a 70-metre intercept strive that included him throwing Cody Walker midway again to Redfern.
It is how they took management of the sport after the break, courtesy of rampaging shows from Viliame Kikau and Spencer Leniu, who each performed with a physicality that recommended they’d been wronged by the Rabbitohs in some deep and private means.
From there, they performed all of the hits. Dylan Edwards ran typically and nicely. Nathan Cleary kicked with a masters contact. Api Koroisau stored probing, Jarome Luai stored scheming and everyone stored enjoying with the managed fury that has made Penrith the phobia of the league for nearly three full years now.
South Sydney stood as much as that terror, for some time. Few groups within the league might spot them a 12-point begin and go on to win. However when the 2 groups locked eyes, it was the Rabbitohs who blinked.
Not typically, thoughts you, and in opposition to different, lesser groups they may have gotten away with it. However there isn’t a getting away with something in opposition to the Panthers. They’re a livid workforce, one who by no means appear to tire of punishing their opponents shortcomings.
There is not a lot unsuitable with the Rabbitohs, however Penrith made them pay for all of it the identical. Rookie halfback Lachlan Ilias struggled below a cruel and suffocating assault from Kikau.
Latrell Mitchell was nicely and really knocked round for one of many few instances in his profession and had his quietest recreation of those finals. Walker’s mood acquired the higher of him, the best way it could possibly typically.
They are often again on this stage once more shortly. They’ve the expertise, and maybe their day will come quickly.
However that is nonetheless Penrith’s time. These previous three years have been the Penrith period, and it has been a hell of time.
Now they’ll make it a dynasty, and even when it does not final eternally — as a result of Kikau and Koroisau are leaving and as soon as they do every part will change — it could possibly reside eternally within the annals of historical past alongside the accomplishments of among the best groups to play this recreation in trendy instances.
They’ll create one thing that may reside lengthy after previous age and the realities {of professional} sport have executed what so many groups have did not do, and eventually cease this livid successful machine.
