VICTORY PARADE

[mightypanther]

Penrith still on a High

By JAMES HOOPER
Daily Telegraph

November 29, 2003

THE cricket season may have begun but the people of Penrith are still
celebrating the Panthers' second premiership in 36 seasons.

A crowd of about 15,000 lined High St in Penrith yesterday for a final
victory parade to recognise the 2003 premiers.

Had Panthers officials held the lap of honour the week after the grand
final, they would have had to shut down the entire suburb.

As it was the players were still afforded a police escort as two orange
open-topped double-decker buses guided them to the Penrith Civic Centre.

The crowd followed them all the way before captain Craig Gower and the
rest of the Panthers signed autographs and relived some of their special
grand final memories.

With the celebrations out of the way, the Panthers moved inside where
they were greeted by a gathering of 400 people for an official reception.

Penrith Mayor Greg Davies and Panthers chief executive Shane
Richardson were among guests who made speeches and presented awards.

While the end of November seemed a strange time for a rugby league
victory parade, Panthers officials were forced to delay the ceremony
because five players were selected on the Kangaroo tour.

 

[mightypanther]

It was great to see the guys holding the trophy again, and their smiles were just as big as they were on grand final day.

Satts was there too. looking gorgeous and sexy as always (give me a break guys -- this is important info for the female
of the species), and I got to say hello again and personally thank him for the present that he gave me.

This won't mean anything to the fellas -- but listen up girls.........I got the lucky speedos that Satts wore for every single
game of the 2003 season, including all finals AND the grand final. AND he signed them with a message on the butt for me.

HOW COOL IS THAT ??? Talk about a unique -- one of a kind -- pressie...WHAT A GUY...:mrgreen: ;-) \\/ :mrgreen:


Oh, and also getting back to the heart of the subject.......it was great to have a chance to cheer for the Cougars for making
their grand final, and the St Doms guys for winning the Arrive Alive Cup.

I was a little disappointed though, Shane Elford and Ben Reynolds didn't show up, and I would have thought that if the Tigers
allowed Satts to come, then surely they gave permission for Spud and Reynolds as well? And if so, why didn't they turn up?
Oh well, it's a pity....but it's over now.

It was great to see such a huge crowd number in the end. We turned up quite early, and there seemed to be hardly anyone
around, and we were worried that they had held it too early in the day and all the workers were going to miss out. But
everyone must have rushed like crazy to get there straight from work, and in the end the crowd was fantastic.

It was a credit to the people of Penrith that so many turned out to show the team that the community's pride in their achievements
hasn't dulled one little bit in the almost 2 months since that fantastic day in October.

GO THE MIGHTY MOUNTAIN MEN ALL THE WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, that's right...........we already did.

GOOD ONYA GUYS...........WE LOVE YA.

 

[SP]

They should of done it during that so called game that was on a few weeks ago

 

[Tupac Shakur]

Good work boys, wish i was there.

 

[Caged Panther]

I've gotta say I think the council got it in wrong holding at like 5 in the afternoon, start it an hour an hour and a half later and you would got crowds that were much more mammoth.

 

[PREDATOR]

Maybe satts was invited because of the backlash against his non-signing by penrith..another player missing was colin ward,not worthy of an invite??

 

[roofromoz]

Great day on Friday. I think it really showed what the premiership has done to the city. Great spirit, and I hope that it carries on to next year, as we defend our title.

 

[Munky]

I've gotta say I think the council got it in wrong holding at like 5 in the afternoon, start it an hour an hour and a half later and you would got crowds that were much more mammoth.

It should have been done on Saturday, like hell I was braving Mulgoa Road in Peak hour traffic on a Friday.

 

[mightypanther]

On the PI site, it said that all ex-players were invited, so we can only
assume that they're not lying about that.

The only 2 players to show up though, were Geoff bell with the Cougars and Satts with 1st grade.

Look at all the missing players --

Spud Elford
Ben Reynolds
Chris Hicks
Colin Ward
Steve Turner (understandable, he's in Victoria)


If we believe they were all invited, which they must have been if Geoff Bell
was there, then you have to wonder why the others didn't want to show up.

 

[*Sandy*]

I can understand why Spud, Hicksy and Benny didnt turn up. They were not part of the Grand final winning team and probably didnt feel needed where as Satts was, has a bigger fan base, and he was instrumental in that game and the lead up to the grandfinal. And they could have had other commitments on that day like their own training with their new teams and all 3 would be wanting to secure a place in 1st grade.

Colin Ward it's a shame he didnt get a run on the day, it's a shame he wasnt there for whatever reasons he couldn't make it and i can only hope that he doesnt feel a litte saddened by it all. He, to me, has also been instrumental in his days with penrith to the team and it would have been nice for him to be there so the fans could have thanked him for his years he gave us.

Does anyone know what he is doing after leaving Penrith?

 

[mightypanther]

I know that Spud, Benny and Hicksy weren't in the Premiers side,
but they were in the Premier League side that made it to the grand final,
and everyone else in the Cougars team, including Geoff Bell went to the
trouble of turning up, so I don't see why they couldn't too.

And training as an excuse, might apply to Hicksy, but if the Tigers allowed
Satts to attend, then they would have allowed the others to go as well.
They couldn't allow one and not the others, that would be discrimination.
Maybe they just weren't interested.

BTW, Colin Ward has officially retired PK.

But according to the PI site, he has been invited to play in the Panthers
side against Bradford for the WCC. I hope he takes them up on the offer,
as long as he has stayed fit enough to play of course.

 

[Caged Panther]

But according to the PI site, he has been invited to play in the Panthers
side against Bradford for the WCC. I hope he takes them up on the offer,
as long as he has stayed fit enough to play of course.

Yep MP there was an article in the SHM day after the grandfinal that reported this fact and comments from wardy which in effect said he was very keen to play, despite all the effort it would require for him to keep up his fittness to play just one game.

 

[roofromoz]

Does anyone know what he is doing after leaving Penrith?

I think I read somewhere that Wardy is taking up a job in the financial sector.

 

[*Sandy*]

Yeah i know Wardy retired from football MP, but i was wondering what he was going to do career wise now.

I think i remember reading about Geoff Bell pursuing a financial advisor career, Roo. Have you mixed them two up or has Wardy gone into a similar field too?

 

[mightypanther]

I'm not sure about Wardy's choice of career, but for Geoff Bell,
he has his own business as a mortgage broker.

Like Mortgage House and Mortgage Choice and other places like that -
only on a smaller scale.

there was a story about him in the local papers not so long ago.

 

[lainey]

But according to the PI site, he has been invited to play in the Panthers
side against Bradford for the WCC. I hope he takes them up on the offer,
as long as he has stayed fit enough to play of course.

Yep MP there was an article in the SHM day after the grandfinal that reported this fact and comments from wardy which in effect said he was very keen to play, despite all the effort it would require for him to keep up his fittness to play just one game.

Went to check out the guys training tonight and Wardy was there with the boys, so it looks like he'll be on the plane to England with the rest of the team.

 

[roofromoz]

I think i remember reading about Geoff Bell pursuing a financial advisor career, Roo. Have you mixed them two up or has Wardy gone into a similar field too?

Maybe, not sure. That may be it.

 

[*Sandy*]

There was a nice write up of Wardy in the Sunday Tele today and it has said that he is with Maddisons Financial Group. So you were right Roo. I knew Bell had gone into some sort of field to do with money but that was obviously as a Mortgage Broker.

On the write up of him today. Good on him. It said there that Penrith Fans would probably ask why not take a younger guy but as a Penrith Fan i feel the same way as Ben Ross does on it. I think Wardy should be there because he has been part of the winning team throughout the year. It won't be the same as winning the GF but being part of the best team in the World IS the next best thing, as he says.