Players from the Penrith Panthers have been having a good time after winning the Grand Final, but some of its stars have disappointed fans with their Mad Monday antics.
Since defeating the Parramatta Eels 28-12 on Sunday to win their second straight championship, the squad has been jubilant nonstop.
Team festivities continued into the early hours of the morning after a long night of partying, before kicking back up for Mad Monday.
A sleep-deprived Nathan As he left the Penrith Leagues Club early on Monday, he was shirtless, which perfectly captured his feeling of tiredness and elation.
While the majority of the squad seems to have behaved well, certain players’ actions have upset some of their supporters.
James Fisher-Harris arrived at a fan gathering with a vaporizer while Jarome Luai hurried to remove an Instagram post after using an inappropriate epithet.
While fans were present at the Panthers’ home stadium BlueBet, the 26-year-old front row enforcer was seen taking lengthy drags from the electronic cigarette.
Following Luai’s pregame remarks that the Panthers were the team’s “daddy,” Fisher-Harris used the occasion to play on the joke that the Eels are now the team’s “sons.”
Fisher-Harris added, “I just want to say Parra are our boys.
That is just a truth right now, at this location.
Following the remark, supporters began yelling, “We hate Parra,” with players Jaeman Salmon and Liam Martin joining in.
We are the best Penrith team ever, as I stated last night, said Fisher-Harris.
Prior to the championship game, Jarome Luai initiated the “son” joke.
When challenged by the five eighth if Penrith is still the Parramatta team’s “little brother,” Luai said, “You can call us daddy.”
After their victory in the championship game, Luai and teammates Jaeman Salmon posted a picture of themselves celebrating in the locker rooms, which created a sensation.
His nasty caption on the image said, “My n*****.”
The NRL integrity unit said it is aware the tweet was made, and the message was taken down seven hours after it was first published early on Monday.
Images and videos of Panthers players celebrating loudly and proudly late into the night at Penrith Leagues club have been uploaded online.
In homage to Top Gun: Maverick, their favorite movie of the year, they donned aviator sunglasses. Bam Bam Tuivasa, a legend in the AFL, joined them for a shooey.
Numerous athletes honored their spouses and families, with Viliame Kikau writing that it was the “greatest feeling ever.”
Some athletes celebrated their victories by lighting enormous cigars, while others, like James Fisher-Harris, used vape pens.
Backrower Viliame Kikau, who will be leaving the squad next season, was not present at the fan gathering on Monday.
Panthers fans saw glimpses of the team’s raucous celebration night online last night.
Photos showed squad members leaving their home Leagues Club late on Monday morning, UFC fighter Bam Bam Tuivasa sipping a shoey, and Luai enjoying a cigar next to the premiership trophy.
Because it was on home soil, Panthers Chairman Matt Cameron remarked, this year’s victory in the grand final was particularly memorable.
Naturally, we did it in 2020 with less people on the field, and in 2021 they were in Brisbane, he said in an interview with Today.
The community was unable to celebrate it as they had wished. It was a fantastic chance last night. You’ve heard Ivan speak before; we take great delight in the club being a source of pride for the neighborhood. Last night, I believe we were able to check that box.
One of the most lopsided grand finals this century was their victory against Parramatta, with just two late Eels tries ending the blue-and-golds’ scoring drought and narrowing the deficit.
The Panthers were the first team in the game’s 115-season history to win every grade from the NRL down to under-18s in only one year.
Going back-to-back is uncommon, as seen by NRL history. Only the Sydney Roosters and the Panthers had accomplished it since the Super League.
However, no team has done so in the previous four years, with the last being the legendary Eels squad from the early 1980s.
There is a good likelihood Penrith will start next year as the favorite to join them and that their dynasty will continue through that.