Penrith Panthers' NRL premiership victory was all the more special for Clive Churchill medallist Nathan Cleary, sharing the accomplishment with his father, coach Ivan.
Since leaving Wests Tigers in 2018 to return to Penrith - where he was sacked in 2015 - Ivan Cleary has turned the Panthers into a force in the NRL, despite a disastrous 10th placed regular season finish in 2019.
But to Cleary's credit, the Panthers have featured in the last two Grand Finals, and on Sunday the former NZ Warriors coach lifted his first premiership as a coach, and Penrith's first title since 2003.
After losing the 2020 Grand Final to Melbourne Storm, Cleary's Panthers bounced back one year later to defeat South Sydney Rabbitohs 14-12, made all the more special by son Nathan taking home the Clive Churchill medal - awarded to the best player in the decider.
For the father-son winning duo - the NRL's first since Martin and John Lang also for Penrith in 2003 - thought Sunday night's victory is reward for three seasons of hard work.
"It was unbelievable, it's a lot more than just the Clive Churchill Medal, I thought a number of people could've got it from our side," 23-year-old Nathan said.
"But just to be able to win a premiership with Dad, especially the way it started off.
"It was a tough year in 2019 and people wrote us off and said it wasn't the right thing to do.
"But now I share this moment with him and it definitely makes it all worth it. We had trust in each other and this group to do something special and we've done it.
"It's hard to put into words, I've dreamed of this moment since I was a little kid."
The father-son tandem wasn't lost on Ivan either, who says that he only returned to the Panthers after his brutal firing to work with Nathan, who made his NRL debut in 2016 - the year after his dad left the club.
"In many respects daily he's part of the team, captain and player, but I think we've always been able to be father and son," Ivan said.
"That's why I wanted to coach him in the first place. We went through some hard times there a few years ago where I felt a bit guilty and his form wasn't where it could've been.
"But when the siren went and I saw him out there, he's still my boy.
"It's hard to put it into words. I coach him every day, when he's your son... to win a Clive Churchill, I couldn't have written that story. It's pretty cool."
