CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Staunch Penrith Panthers fan, Sione Fasiakefe is busier than he’s ever been this week.
Just days after his beloved choccie soldiers took down Parramatta in their back-to-back NRL premiership, the 52-year-old has been working night shift at the Victa lawnmowers warehouse all week.
On top of that, he now has 34,264 new sons and daughters to care for.
The media hype surrounding ‘The Battle Of The West’ 2022 NRL Grand Final did not take into account the complexities of Western Sydney tribalism, and what would unfold after the final buzzer.
Aside from all of Paul Kent’s bitter screeching about the Premiership winners not behaving themselves like footballers used to when they all worked full time as PE teachers and shithouse sports journos, there is also the issue of who takes custody of the losing Parramatta side and all their fans.
As was pointed out by Penrith enforces James Fisher-Harris during the post-match celebrations, the Panthers are now officially the legal guardians of anyone who wears yellow and blue.
“Parra is our sons” said the 26-year-old ball runner, who perfectly articulated the new arrangement that sees the Parramatta Eels and their fans place in the care of their new daddys, the Penrith Panthers.
As a proud family man, Sione Fasiakefe does not take this new responsibility lightly.
“Parramatta has the most fans in the comp” he says.
“That’s a lot of kids I’ve had to take on. I was already busy enough with five of my own kids, but now I’ve got 30,000 more to worry about”
However, as a member of the greater Penrith family that has caused so much upset in the rugby league establishment this week – Sione knows that he can’t give the media any other reason to criticise them.
“They already called us bad losers. They said we are too cocky, and lack grace. The last thing we want to be labelled is bad fathers as well”
That’s why he’s taking his new role as Parramatta’s father figure so seriously.
This fatherly love was on display for all last night at Blacktown Station, as Sione saw about 7 or 8 of his sons on the train platform well after the bed time.
“Go home sons!” Sione says to the group of Parra fans, while reaching for his belt.
“Parra is our sons. Remember that. For the next year at least”
“Now get to bed. And make sure you take the bins out in the morning!!”
