sport news Top insider Michelle Bishop reveals what makes Penrith Panthers tick ahead of ... trends now The Penrith Panthers are preparing to play in Sunday's NRL grand final, and it's off the back of not only phenomenal play on the field, but their 'unique bond' and incredible culture off the field. Top rugby league pundit Michelle Bishop, one of the hardest working reporters around, is on the airwaves and television every day - but it's her former working life that gives her valuable context about this Panthers side. Bishop, who grew up right in the heart of Eels territory, was Penrith's media manager: headhunted to the role by Phil Gould in between radio and television gigs - and she has given Daily Mail Australia a valuable insight into what makes the club tick. She's been a mother figure of sorts to many of these players as they rose through the ranks, and one of her favourite stories about this crop of Panthers belongs to prop Spencer Leniu. Spencer Leniu, pictured after scoring a try in last weekend's preliminary final, is preparing to play in an NRL grand final - and it all came about after a trip to Minchinbury McDonald's Top rugby league journalist Michelle Bishop was previously Penrith's media manager - so she has a unique insight into why the club is so special and dominant across all levels of rugby league The combative forward, who was born in New Zealand to Samoan parents before emigrating to Australia, has one of the great sliding doors moments one could possibly imagine ahead of Sunday's grand final. 'He arrived here (in Australia) as an eight or nine-year-old from New Zealand, and his parents took him to McDonald's (in Minchinbury) one day,' Bishop explained of Leniu's introduction to rugby leauge. 'And it just so happened that Minchinbury Jets were having a registration day, and Jarome Luai was there, too. 'So he (Leniu) walked out with a Happy Meal and being registered to play footy and that's how it all started for him,' said Bishop. It's one story out of many that gives valuable context to this all-conquering footy team. Spencer Leniu with girlfriend Alexia Loizou after winning last season's grand final Bishop took aim at fans, former players and pundits who criticise the Panthers for what some deem arrogance, and a lack of grace on the field. Her experience with these special Panthers, many who have grown up together, is anything but. 'To me what I see now is these kids that were playing in the park, in Mount Druitt, in Whalan Reserve and Hebersham ... it's just that now it's in front of people. They aren't fazed by anything,' said Bishop. 'This time last year, I felt like I was almost defending them a little bit because people are saying they're bratty and they're cocky, they're not at all. I'm with them all the time, and their behaviour doesn't change. 'The biggest thing for me as well is they are all so individual, but they can all come together and embrace each other ... they have such a unique bond,' Bishop said. Michelle Bishop at the Panthers Club in Penrith with the Provan-Summons Trophy ahead of last year's grand final A big part of that is the upbringing many of these Panthers players have had - many of which are quite similar. The type of players these men are on and off the field is testament to their amazing family - which gets lost in the constant criticism of the way they conduct themselves. 'They have very strong ties with their families, with their heritage and that sort of stuff; hence the praying after the games,' Bishop, a mother of two boys herself, said. 'One of the players drives his mom to church every Saturday. That's his job unless he's got rugby league, and we're talking about a 21-year-old. Yeah. 'He drives his mom to church, waits for her to finish practice at church, and then drives her home. I love that, and I wish people could see that side of them,' said Bishop. Nathan Cleary poses with a Penrith fan's newborn child at the club's opening training session on Tuesday: they really are a family club! It isn't just the more fan-facing first grade players, either. It's an attitude that pilfers right down through the club's famed nursery, and it's easy to see that better boys and men make better footballers: the club has already won SG Ball (under 16s), Jersey Flegg (under 21s) and NSW Cup (reserve grade), and if they win the grand final on Sunday it will be the first time that's happened in 59 years. 'I had the privilege of MC'ing their Jersey Flegg presentation night two weeks ago. You walk into the room and the kids are articulate, they're open to conversation, they're excited about the challenge and their rugby league journey,' said Bishop. 'There's such a professionalism from way down there (in the underage teams).' One of the most professional of all is superstar halfback Nathan Cleary, who is famously the first on the training field, and last to leave. He's another who has faced a constant barrage of criticism, whether it be for TikToks, his performances for NSW, or, unbelievably, his acne. Nathan Cleary (left) with father Ivan, who coaches Penrith, are a big part of the club's success It's a perception that doesn't wash with Bishop, who explains Cleary IS Penrith. 'He loves and thrives and has a genuine passion for the Penrith community,' she said. 'I just I love the fact that he doesn't think he's better than anybody else. He'll take his shirt off his back, the same old cliche - he just he'd do anything for anybody.' Nathan Cleary was a hit with Panthers fans at the club's open training session on Tuesday, and stayed signing autographs and taking selfies for so long security asked him to leave - which he refused to do Many would consider the star a role model - and a pretty good one at that - but as we saw at the start of the pandemic when Cleary faced a wave of criticism for a TikTok filmed during restrictions, it can be an exhausting existence, especially in the age of social media. Bishop said it can create unnecessary pressure, because football players, like all people, are imperfect human beings. Nathan Cleary, who lives and immerses himself in the Penrith community, is a role model to many Mistakes can not only make them grow, but bring attention to issues that are very important, but are perhaps taboo or not talked about openly in society. 'One my big bugbears with rugby league is the whole the pressure that's on these boys to be role models off the field,' she said. 'I love the fact that sometimes they're a bit naughty, because they're living in a space where they are constantly in the spotlight. 'And when they do make mistakes, they can open conversations that you probably wouldn't have had at home,' said Bishop. To back up that point, Bishop gives an example of the time she was at the explosive press conference when former Aussie cricket skipper Steve Smith returned to the country after the cheating scandal in South Africa. Steve Smith broke down in 2018 after being asked a pointed question by Bishop following the infamous cheating scandal She was famously the journalist that made Smith cry with a pointed question - though of course that was far from her intention. The scenes quickly went viral all around the world, but closer to home, it opened up conversations. 'I made Steve Smith cry. I made him bawl his eyes out and I was like, 'what am I going to say to my kids tonight? They love you',' said Bishop. 'He's their hero and he was cheating, but the thing for me is when I got home, it opened the conversation about peer pressure, and I would not have had that conversation with my kids on any given day.' All this talk about Penrith, but there are two teams squaring off on grand final day, and the other is Parramatta, who haven't won a title in 36 years. Brad Arthur's Eels have been under pressure this season, and their culture, including claims of nepotism, has been attacked They have had vastly different journeys to reach the big dance, and Bishop said Penrith's culture really is well ahead at the moment. 'I still think that they, not so much lost their identity, but they're still trying to find out who they are, because I don't think it's a complete football club,' she said. 'There's a lot of ex-players that don't even go back there. They haven't embraced a similar sort of culture (to Penrith), which I'm sure they're probably working hard to do. 'If you've got a young kid that was brought up in the west, now they want to play for Penrith. They don't want to play for Parra. It was the other way around for a very long time ... a full 360,' said Bishop. Perhaps though, one of Bishop's more iconic and enduring legacies will be introducing cartons of Oak Milk (the club's major sponsor) at their press conferences, aside from just having the traditional sports drinks. Spencer Leniu, sporting the club's famous Oak Milk jersey, celebrates his try in last weekend's preliminary final win over Souths 'Gus pulled me out of TV and I went out there and set up automated communications. I went to Gus and said, 'Gus, I got this great idea',' Bishop explained. 'They had Gatorade or Powerade on the table, and I said: 'We should be using the Oak (cartons) and give them more exposure. 'So ... we did it. And it was so big and so successful that the NRL were screaming at us to pull it down, saying, 'you're getting more exposure than Telstra!' (league sponsor),' laughed Bishop. And the Oak Milk will be freely flowing down in the 'Riff if the Panthers can beat the Eels in Sunday night's grand final. All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility