LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo has dismissed claims that his team uses illegal blockers to protect their kickers as "an easy write-up" that has been recycled from two years ago.
This accusation was made by former Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett, which had sparked a war of words between the two clubs back then.
However, Yeo insists that the Panthers have not changed their tactics and that the issue has resurfaced due to people reading notes from the previous year.
The controversy arose after clips from Penrith's preliminary final win over the Storm showed forwards standing in the ruck and moving to the side to block markers from reaching Nathan Cleary as he kicked the ball.
Despite the scrutiny, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary stated that he was unaware of where these accusations came from and emphasized that referees have not found anything wrong with their tactics.
It is not unusual for stories to surface before a big game, attempting to highlight anything controversial.
In this case, several stories this week have pointed to Penrith's impressive record under referee Adam Gee, who will officiate his first NRL grand final this weekend.
However, Broncos coach Kevin Walters has expressed no concerns about the tactic, further supporting Penrith's stance.
As the grand final approaches, it seems that both NRL teams involved are united in their belief that Penrith's kick-blocker tactics are within the rules and not providing them with an unfair advantage.
The focus remains on the game itself and the players' performance on the field.