Penrith Panthers beat Sydney Roosters on march to fourth straight premiership. Is their dominance a good thing?

Yet here we are, not even four rounds into the competition, and it would shock if any side other than the Panthers is holding aloft the Provan-Summons trophy on the first Sunday in October.

It begs the question: Is Penrith’s domination an achievement to be celebrated, or is it killing the NRL? Will, in years to come, rival fans revel in the fact they were alive to witness a sporting dynasty, or lament that their team was merely locked in a battle for second place?

Regardless of their take, Penrith are producing something special.

At the other end of the table, the Gold Coast have looked legless while missing key men Kieran Foran, David Fifita and Jayden Campbell. The Panthers, without a key trio of their own, took the Roosters to school.

There is yet to be an official announcement, but Penrith will be the first team booked on the plane to open the 2025 season in Las Vegas. It’s a move that makes sense given the Panthers won’t have a home ground while BlueBet Stadium is being redeveloped.

The trip to America will expose a side who have long dealt with tall poppy syndrome to a fan base that truly knows how to celebrate a sporting dynasty.

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