The Penrith Panthers sit on the edge of history, just two wins away from claiming a near-unprecedented fourth-straight premiership.
This would see them become just the third club to ever achieve this feat, joining the South Sydney Rabbitohs (1925-29), and the St. George Dragons (1956-66).
If they can win number four, in their fifth-straight grand final, the entire team will be in rare air, and their coach could be on the fast track to Immortal status.
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Can Ivan Cleary claim Immortal status with fourth-straight premiership?
For a decade and a half, Ivan Cleary was a standard NRL coach, stints with New Zealand, Penrith, and Wests not producing any premiership success.
Then in 2021, he started a dynasty, one which would win the next three straight competitions.
As he prepares for a fourth run at the trophy, one NRL legend has claimed that a win this season could possibly cement Cleary as a future Immortal.
"For all of the Panthers’ success a lot of the credit has to go to their coach Ivan Cleary," Braith Anasta said on NRL 360.
"If they go and win four premierships in a row where does this hold Ivan Cleary in terms of the history of the game and the coaches that have gone before? Where does he stand?
"That’s what makes him unique though, he is not like every other coach and you don’t need to be... he does it his own way and that’s fine."
"The last coach who made five straight Grand Finals was Clive Churchill, so there is two Immortals [with Norman Provan] of the game," added James Hooper.
"Ivan a lot of the time probably doesn’t get the wraps that he deserves. But certainly if they make five and win another one [he is in the conversation for Immortal status]."
