Penrith will be seeking a third-straight NRL premiership on Sunday night - but there has been no talk internally of a 'three-peat' according to superstar captain Nathan Cleary.
After toppling the Rabbitohs and Eels in the past two years, the reigning champions will now take on perhaps their toughest task to date, with the red-hot Broncos posing a genuine threat to the Panthers' growing dynasty.
Reece Walsh has emerged as one of the best players in the competition after arriving at Red Hill this year, while the middle-forward duo of Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan consistently puts the side on the front-foot.
And then there's the experience of halfback Adam Reynolds, who continues to build his own legacy within the game and prove each week why South Sydney made a huge mistake allowing him to walk out the door.
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Panthers captain Nathan Cleary wary of Brisbane Broncos
Speaking in August on The Sporting News/YKTR EBBS AND FLOWS, the 25-year-old admitted the challenge of taking on a star-studded Brisbane outfit was weighing heavily on his mind.
“It’s pretty similar [to us in 2020], they are a pretty young team," Cleary said.
"They’ve got a lot of X-factor but they’ve also got a pretty good forward pack as well. I think they’ve had that the last few years, a real young team, but they couldn’t have that consistency.
"Adam Reynolds has brought that in now, he’s a great player and great general for them and leads them around.
"Then you’ve got guys like Reece Walsh, just a complete X-factor with a lot of speed… you’ve got [Selwyn] Cobbo and Herbie Farnworth who is killing it as well.
"Then you’ve got Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan too, so it’s pretty daunting to look at… they are on fire at the moment. I see them as pretty tough opposition… it’s exciting, I think it would be a mad game."
With two premierships in a row with Cleary leading the charge, Penrith now find themselves in the unique position and could potentially become the first team in the NRL era to claim three consecutive titles.
But according to the NSW and Kangaroos halfback, the focus remains on the short-term goals as opposed to looking back on past achievements and building on them.
“We sort of have the mentality of one in a row, rather than talking too much about a three-peat," Cleary said.
"It’s a great opportunity and no other team has done it in the NRL era, but those two years that have been, have been and we’re grateful for the experiences we’ve had from it and the memories we have – it means nothing for this year.
"It’s a whole new comp and there’s new teams playing well. We knew we had to go to another level and that’s part of the process now, not trying to look too far ahead to the finals, grand final or anything like that."
Penrith will take on the Broncos on Sunday, October 1st at Accor Stadium, with both sides expected to be at full-strength for the 2023 decider.
