Penrith Panthers set for 117-year jersey first in NRL grand final against Melbourne Storm

The Panthers are set to wear a unique jersey in the NRL grand final this weekend against the Storm in a monumental piece of history for the game. The NRL grand final will see a repeat of the 2020 decider with Ivan Cleary's Panthers looking to make it four in a row when they take on the Storm.

Both the Panthers and the Storm wear darker colours for their home jersey with the black from Penrith clashing with the dark Blue from Melbourne. The Panthers' alternate jersey is brown and white, which is also deemed to be pretty similar - for broadcast purposes - to the Storm's dark blue.

And in a first for the NRL in 117 years of competition, the Panthers are set to wear a predominantly pink jersey in the grand final. This will be the first time a team has worn a majority pink jersey in a grand final. The Panthers have only run out in the black home jersey for both their NRL finals games.

They have also worn their black jersey for the last four straight grand finals. Although the minor premiers will likely select their home jersey for the NRL grand final, prompting the Panthers - as the lower ranked team during the NRL season - to make the historic move to avoid a clash of colours.

The Storm wore their dark home jersey in 2009, 2016 and 2017 when they had the preference of the strip they wanted to wear in the grand final. The Panthers last wore their pink jersey against the Eels in round 23.

The pink Panthers jersey has gained popularity in 2024 with many calling of it to become their permanent away jersey. But the players first rallied around the decision to wear the Pacifika jersey - worn against the Sharks - with five-eighth Jarome Luai acknowledging its significance to the players leaving.

Jarome Luai praises Pacifika jersey

Club legends Frank Puletua and Joe Galuvao helped design the black Pacifika jersey for 2024 with the help of team manager Jason Wrigley. And the jersey has come to mean a lot to the club, but no more so than the three players who will play their last game for the Panthers in the colours. James Fisher-Harris, Sunia Turuva and Luai are all leaving the Panthers after the 2024 grand final. And Luai felt it was special wearing the jersey alongside his departing teammates for the final time.

“It’s special,” Luai said before the Sharks elimination final. “I think it’s a great touch from ‘Ive’ (Cleary, coach), especially to wear it in a finals series. I don’t think anyone’s really done that before.

“It’s a big part of ‘Fish’‘s life, my life, Tito’s (Turuva’s) life as well. I think it’s just a celebration of all of our cultures and what Penrith is like. It’s a multicultural place, community.” Turuva looked ahead and labelled the chance to wear the pink jersey in the grand final as 'mad' in what could be the last time he wears Panthers colours.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona set to miss grand final

One player unlikely to be playing against the Panthers is Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona after he was hit with a four-game ban. The Melbourne prop's shoulder collided with Lindsey Collins' head during the tackle and left the Roosters forward dazed.

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Asofa-Solomona was sent for 10 minutes on the sideline, but found out after the game he had been hit with a four-game ban. The Storm are attempting to fight the suspension on Monday, but it appears it will be a stretch with the hulking prop likely to miss the NRL grand final.