In a year when so many things in rugby league went away from the script, it probably makes sense that the footy gods would turn their back on a grand final fairytale to deliver Penrith a stunning 14-12 premiership triumph over Souths in the season decider at Suncorp Stadium.

The Panthers bagged their third premiership, and their first since 2003, with a controlled and disciplined performance to cap two seasons of dominance and take the trophy back to the Blue Mountains.

Penrith deserved their victory, riding on the back of Churchill Medal-winning halfback Nathan Cleary, whose surgically precise kicking game was the difference between the two teams.

The Panthers, blown out of the water in last year’s grand final by the Storm, showed none of the nerves that cost them so dearly 12 months ago, taking their chances and defending relentlessly to keep South Sydney – and a fair chunk of history – at bay.

Despite being the best team of the past two seasons, Penrith’s shaky record in big matches and a confident and ruthless Rabbitohs side ensured the pressure valve at the Cauldron was well into the red.

Casting the largest shadow of all over Penrith’s title hopes though was the presence of South Sydney’s master coach, Wayne Bennett.

Coaching in a remarkable 12^th top-flight grand final (Brisbane Souths 1984-1985; Canberra 1987; Brisbane Broncos 1992-93, 1997-98, 2000, 2006, 2015; St George Illawarra 2010; Rabbitohs 2021) in his last game at the helm of South Sydney, the stage was set for Bennett to further his claim as the game’s greatest ever coach with a ninth premiership.

Certainly, the odds of a Bennett fairytale looked to be stacked in his favour.

The Bunnies had already dispatched the Panthers earlier in the finals series. The grand final was being played in Brisbane for the first time at Suncorp Stadium – Bennett’s home ground for most of his coaching career.

And, at the home of Queensland Rugby League, the long-serving former Maroons coach had a bevy of banana-benders in red and green to help his cause: Jai Arrow, Dane Gagai and Jayden Su’a.

Adding more size to the emotional tsunami that Souths hoped to ride to the victory dais was the departure of record-breaking captain and local junior Adam Reynolds, who departs for the Broncos next year.

But the skittish Panthers of 2020 that Melbourne so ruthlessly exploited in last year’s grand final are no more. In their place are a confident and composed unit willing to work hard for each other and not let their teammates down.

Ultimately Bennett was denied the dream of winning a premiership with a third NRL club as the desperate Panthers hung on to snatch the trophy.

Typically, Bennett was dismissive of talk about a ‘fairytale ending’ for two key reasons: He doesn’t believe in fairytales, and he doesn’t consider this the end of his coaching career.

“I wasn’t looking for a fairytale ending. I’m not finished yet,” he said.

“I haven’t made any choices yet. I’ve told you a thousand times, when I know what the plan is I’ll let you know.

“There’s something formulating in my mind, but I won’t say.

“I have a number of options on the table but I don’t know what I’ll do.

“Today is not a good day, tomorrow will not be a good day to make decisions. I’ll sit on it for a few weeks.”

One man who probably does believe in fairytales is Penrith second-rower Kurt Capewell, the sole Queenslander in the Panthers’ team.

In a whirlwind two seasons, FOG No.206 made a sparkling Origin debut in 2020 under Bennett, played in a losing grand final, won a premiership, and will now move to Brisbane to join Reynolds as the Broncos’ two marquee signings for 2022.