The Penrith Panthers have celebrated back-to-back NRL titles in style this week. Photo / Getty
The Penrith Panthers have celebrated back-to-back NRL titles in style this week. Photo / Getty
OPINION:
Sporting authenticity comes in many forms.
It is Ryan Fox pouring his own pint at a Scottish pub and posing for an idyllic family photo at St Andrews after claiming the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week.
It is Ruby Tui and her engaging, enthusiastic, wholesome interviews.
It isSarah Hirini detailing her hatred for losing and love of representing New Zealand.
It is Nick Kyrgios smashing racquets, throwing tantrums and generally carrying on like a pork chop.
It is Ameliaranne Ekenasio sharing the struggles of returning from the birth of her second child to captain the Silver Ferns.
And it is the Penrith Panthers igniting a western Sydney sandstorm by flouting their bling and mouthing off following their one-sided NRL Grand Final victory over the Parramatta Eels that's sparked allegations of apparent arrogance.
The crux of the furore stems from three triggering moments for some.
Jarome Luai's Instagram post, in which the Panthers standoff is pictured with a cigar, goggles featuring a KFC sticker on the lens and the NRL trophy accompanied by the caption: "Talk to me nice, Daddy."
Kiwis prop James Fisher-Harris, still in his playing kit after a night on the large, saying at the club's official fan gathering the morning after the final: "I just want to say: Parra are our sons. Right here, right now, that's just a fact." The crowd responded with repeated chants of "We hate Parra".
And Apisai Koroisau, with easily the most ill-conceived take, mocking the Wests Tigers, the club he will join next season on a reported $2 million contract, with a fake laugh amid sarcastic suggestions he will repeat the Panthers success at the Tigers.
Led by stinging criticism from veteran journalist Paul Kent, among others, the Panthers have since been branded tasteless and lacking class.
Maybe the real issue is the expectation that all athletes should somehow squeeze into a conservative, one-size-fits-all box.
In this case that box contained young males, alcohol, celebrations, minimal sleep and a microphone. You only have to look at the string of other off-field NRL incidents to realise it could have been much, much worse.
Personally I'd take the Panthers authenticity over attempts to homogenise walking, talking robots that are too scared to make an utterance that isn't on brand.
In the modern age of social media-driven followings and the ongoing scrap for eyeballs, it is worth noting personality and access sells.
Sport can't pick, choose or pigeonhole its central figures. Nor should it. Individual and team pursuits encompass a collection of characters that should reflect contrasting backgrounds, personalities and appeal to all demographics.
At its core sport needs heroes and villains to co-exist. Sport thrives on genuine theatre and rivalries. Attempting to suppress or control any of those narratives completely misses the point.
Eels fans will take offence to the Panthers comments, sure. That only stokes the flame for next season. Come the grand final rematch, all anyone will talk about is their mudslinging local feud that stretches back generations.
Imagine the interest, the storylines, if the Crusaders publicly dissed the Blues after trumping them on Eden Park in this year's Super Rugby final. The closest we got to that was Scott Robertson breakdancing on one leg.
The Panthers have every right to celebrate their successive titles after everyone said they couldn't do it. Losing four matches all season en route to this year's Premiership is a stunning feat.
For two years the Panthers have strutted, swaggered, talked a bit of smack and backed it all up with performances to break the mould and prove you can be brash and brilliant.
This attitude puts noses out of joint as it is more common in American sports. It is not necessarily new, either. Muhammad Ali is one of the most memorable brash characters in sports history.
In an interconnected world where emerging athletes are now as inspired by LeBron James as they are those in their backyard, expect the next generation to be increasingly confident and outspoken.
Ultimately that should be embraced. Would you really rather a series of tired, meaningless cliches?
If you don't like the Panthers style, look the other way, or perhaps challenge your club to be better.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary summed up the fallout when he told Nine: "Part of it is because we're winning. Our guys maybe do things a little differently sometimes. They let their hair down a little bit. All of us can understand if you maybe drink a little bit too much sometimes you might say some things you might like back or whatever so I'm not too worried about that. I also get that we may not be everyone's cup of tea but you can't please everybody."
Cleary knows the Panthers have bottled a winning formula. Everything else is envious noise.
World Cup sell-out?
Women's Rugby World Cup organisers are hoping for a record crowd to watch the Black Ferns on Saturday night. Photo / Photosport
Anticipation is building for what could yet be a sell-out crowd for the opening day of the Rugby World Cup triple header.
Eden Park will stage a record crowd for a stand-alone women's rugby match when it hosts over 30,000 on Saturday – eclipsing the 20,000 set in 2014 – for three matches headlined by the Black Ferns against the Wallaroos.
South Africa opens the day against contenders France, with title favourites England expected to sweep aside Fiji before the Black Ferns take centre stage.
After sluggish initial ticket sales, the World Cup opener is understood to have seen a big bump following the announcement of Rita Ora's halftime show.
Around 5,000 tickets are yet to sell but, with Auckland set to play its part weather-wise, the prospect of a decent walk-up crowd could nudge attendance close to 35,000.
Buoyed by that vocal support the Black Ferns, having beaten the Wallaroos in their previous 22 tests which includes three earlier this year, should put on a show in the main event.
Betting tip:
Record: 12/29 (-$18)
The Panthers were, unfortunately, too good for my 1-12 margin tip. This week we're going to the NPC quarterfinals and a North Harbour +12.5, Wellington, Canterbury multi that will fetch $2.03.
