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The golden era Penrith Panthers and dark horse Parramatta Eels will meet on Sunday in their first ever grand final between the two clubs, in what has been dubbed ‘The Battle Of The West’
The chaotic postcode war will unfold at a sold-out Accor Stadium in Western Sydney, with Rebel Sport today revealing that they have sold out of every single Parramatta Eels jersey in the country.
As game day preparations begin in the La Nina soaked city, coaches are doing everything they can to eliminate superstitious curses amongst their players.
However, it seems that the Eels might have the edge of Penrith in this department.
Penrith, who make their 3rd Grand Final appearance in three years tomorrow night, might have the high-pressure match experience, and a team stacked with international and state representatives.
But Parramatta have the mind games, and both sides know it.
The woo-woo is believed to be cycloning through the Penrith training faciities today, as photos begin to circulate of 27-year-old Parramatta winger Waqa Blake rocking bleached cornrow with Eels-themed tassles.
“This won’t be good for the Penrith boys” says NRL oracle and commentator Phil Gould.
“This is not good at all. Waqa will be inside their head like an actual Eel”
Waka Blake is of course paying homage to the former Parramatta icon Fuifui Moimoi, a prolific Tongan international that Parramatta to their last grand final in 2009 with barnstorming plays that you would literally have to be paid an NRL salary to face.
While the significance of the dramatic new hairstyle might be lost on the untrained eye, it’s a great concern for the Panthers camp – with coaching staff reportedly ‘shitting themselves’
Gus Gould sayson top of all the thoughts and anxieties that the young Panthers fan would have to contend with this week, the last thing they need is to see photos of Blake looking like one of their Pacific Islander idols.
“They are gonna think they are out there with Fuifui himself” said Gould.
“And those lairy haircuts would always make him play better”
At time of press it was believed that Panther’s five-eighth Jarome Luai was attempting to play the same mind games by shaving his head bald to emulate former Penrith legend MG Geyer.
