Lights off at Penrith's home of 57-years as star's bid farewell

The lights at the 'old Penrith Stadium' have officially been switched off for the final time as the Panthers bid farewell to their home of 57-years. In front of 21,483 packed stadium, the Panthers produced a dominant 30-10 victory over the Roosters to cement the first spot in the preliminary finals. For many the game was a promising sign that a four-peat remains on the horizon, while for others the memories of decades of hardship and triumph fronted their minds. "It's the best fun at here, especially playing at home," Nathan Cleary told Nine post-match as he reflected on his career playing at the Penrith venue. "I was pretty disappointed to miss last week, which sort of tailed as the last week at home but then we were lucky enough to get another one. "The crowd was just amazing and to top it off with a win just feels even sweeter." A $309 million redevelopment of the ground was confirmed earlier this year, with construction scheduled to be completed in time for the 2026 season. The upgrade will see the Panthers shift their home ground to Parramatta's CommBank Stadium for at least the next two years, with matches in Las Vegas, Mudgee and Bathurst also scheduled. Initially plans indicated a complete rebuild of the stadium would take place, however, after consultation with the fans, the hills at either end of the ground were inserted back into the design. But in a bittersweet moment that is not unfamiliar for the team, the farewell also marks the end of the journey's of star performers including Jarome Luai, James Fisher-Harris and Sunia Turuva. Local juniors, like Luai, have been playing on the grounds at the foot of the mountains for the most-part of their careers. "My first game here was pretty special. I've got a lot of great memories here," Luai said. "I can't reflect too much because we are still playing and have a few more games to win, but this is a special place for us. "I have plenty of photos and memories with Nathan (Cleary) here," he added as he was shown pictures of the pair during their junior career. "I won't be in Panthers colours but I'll be back here in the near future."