Api Koroisau burst into laughter when he spoke about winning a premiership at the Wests Tigers as a bleary-eyed James Fisher-Harris started the “We hate Parra” chant and declared the class of 2022 “the best Panthers side, ever”.
The premiers were given a rock-star reception on Monday morning at BlueBet Stadium after they had partied all night following their 28-12 grand final victory.
Koroisau won his third premiership ring, including two straight at Penrith, and was asked on stage how he felt about departing for wooden spooners the Wests Tigers a dual club winner.
“This place has been incredible the last three years I’ve been here. It’s turned into a family for me,” Koroisau said.
“There’s so much young talent. To go out on a high like that, it’s pretty incredible, and I’ll probably do the same thing at the Tigers,” he added, before breaking into hysterics.
Video footage of Koroisau being mocked about never winning a premiership ring at the joint venture had surfaced the night before.
Tigers officials did not want to respond to the comments from the dummy-half they paid around $2m for the next three seasons. To be fair to Koroisau, he had no sleep and a few beers.
Panthers Group CEO Brian Fletcher said of Koroisau’s comments: “He couldn’t have played any better than he did here, so I don’t know how he’ll play better there to win a title.
“Good luck to them. It’s a new season next year. Everyone dreams about winning it. All I know is we’ll be competitive again.
“You’d love to keep Api, who wouldn’t want him, it’s the same as Viliame Kikau, you’d love to keep him, but the figures don’t allow you to do it because their value goes up so much when you win a comp.
James Fisher-Harris started the ‘We hate Parra’ chant.Credit:Steven Siewert/SMH
“We need to find another two good players. We lost a couple last year but found Taylan May and Izack Tago. And we’ll find another couple next year. We’ve bought Luke Garner and Zac Hosking. Kurt Capewell came here for less money, but when he left he earned a fortune for his next three years. That’s the idea when you talk about guys like Luke Garner.”
Fisher-Harris is a man of few words but made a point of declaring on stage: “I just want to say, ‘Parra are our sons’. Right here, right now, that’s fact.”
As the fans started yelling out ‘We Hate Parra’, Fisher-Harris said the Panthers team was the best in the club’s history.
It will be decent water-cooler debate among the Panthers faithful, with their 1991 premiership side featuring Greg Alexander, Royce Simmons, Mark Geyer and a baby-faced Brad Fittler.
The 2003 premiers featured Craig Gower, Ryan Girdler, Preston Campbell, and the ‘Hair Bears’ Tony Puletua and Joe Galuvao.
Sunday night’s side included Nathan Cleary, the player Fletcher described as “the best in the world right now”, Isaah Yeo, Fisher-Harris, Dylan Edwards and Jarome Luai.
Fletcher said no other Penrith team had won two premierships in a row, and the frightening thing was the average age of the current side was just 25 years.
“So it won’t stop this year,” Fletcher said.
“I couldn’t argue with that [Fisher-Harris claim] at all, and I don’t think anyone would.
“When you also win the Jersey Flegg, SG Ball, the reserve grade … they are going to have fun for a long time.”
