Parramatta did everything they possibly could this week to convince themselves Sunday’s grand final was just another game of football.
They refused an invitation to train at Accor Stadium for their final session. They decided against going into camp for a night of bonding on the eve of the game to ensure they didn’t play the game in their minds too early.
They even knocked back the chance to ride together to the game on the team bus, as is customary for all grand final teams.
Instead, they drove in individually, parked under the ground and walked in like they would any other week.
Just another game of football.
Penrith, on the other hand, did everything the total opposite. They accepted Accor Stadium’s invitation to use the grand final venue as a training base for their final session.
Eels fullback Clint Gutherson reacts after the Panthers score another try.Credit:Getty Images
They spent the night together across the road from the stadium at the Pullman Olympic Park, playing out every moment in their minds.
They embraced the hype, walking around the precinct in the morning, throwing balls to each other as Jarome Luai’s boom box cranked in the background.
They treated it like anything but a normal game of football, and in the process showed Parramatta how abnormal grand finals can be.
As much as they tried to keep things familiar off the field, Parramatta took a contrasting approach on the field.
The Panthers celebrate Charlie Staines’ second-half try.Credit:Getty
Mitchell Moses chanced his arm down the short side on the last tackle in the first half, only for Clint Gutherson to be caught near the halfway line. They struggled to win the possession battle thereafter.
Dylan Brown took a gamble on an early kick for Moses in the first half which almost caught Dylan Edwards napping.
It was a warning shot fired. A reminder to the inspirational fullback that he needed to be on red alert.
But in firing the warning, the Eels surrendered a golden opportunity to put Penrith’s defence under pressure, or at the very least take some petrol out of the tank.
Instead, they turned attack into defence and didn’t get another chance to pressure Penrith’s line for the rest of the half.
Penrith, once again, did everything the opposite. They took no chances with the ball while taking all their chances when they presented themselves.
By the time they walked up the tunnel for the half-time break, the premiership was all but on its way up the M4. Twenty minutes later, with another 20 minutes to go on the clock, the Parramatta fans were beginning to make their way up the grandstand stairs to the exit doors.
The Eels were taught a lesson in big-game moments. Just another game of football? You wouldn’t think so.
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