Port Macquarie's Greg Boath and Nathan Cassar-Scott are two super-fans with high hopes for the National Rugby League (NRL) grand final this weekend.
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Cassar-Scott has attended numerous player days and previously been invited to lunch with the Penrith Panthers, while Boath is a fanatical Melbourne Storm supporter with a fully decked out man-cave a shrine to his team.
They will both be nervously watching the NRL decider this Sunday, October 25 at 7.30pm as their teams clashed at ANZ Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park.
Melbourne Storm booked their place in the final by beating Canberra Raiders (30-10), while the minor premier Panthers completed an almost undefeated run by ousting South Sydney Rabbitohs (20-16).
Boath said he began following the Storm when they were established in 1998 and will be in the crowd of 40,000 permitted to attend on game day this weekend.
"I started following them in their first year and prior to that I was a Panthers supporter. My father Ron and my late sister, Alison were both Penrith supporters and I became the 'purple sheep of the family'," he laughed.
"I get a bit passionate and in the early years a lot of the family members didn't like watching the football with me. A lot of friends can attest to how passionate I get when watching the game.
"I have my own superstitions and I think I can generally tell when they are going to get beat just from the opening minutes. They have proved me wrong a few times though."
Boath has constructed an extensive supporters room over the years to house his collection of Storm jerseys, newspaper clippings, photos and even a golf club cover.
"I've always loved the team and every time we won a grand final I've bought something to add to the collection," he said.
Penrith Panthers super-fan Nathan Cassar-Scott will be barracking for his team while at a mate's house this weekend.
"I love the club with a passion and I'm pretty superstitious about them," he said.
"Each game day I wear the same shirt. It's like I'm actually playing and I don't like talking to anyone about the score on game day because I feel like if they lose it's on me.
"I've been supporting Panthers since before I can remember, more than 20 years and that's what really drove me to play footy when I was younger.
"I had the footy signed in 2003 by the 18-man team when they won the premiership. I'd met the players during a trial match against Parramatta and they were all really nice. I couldn't get over how nice they were and Preston Campbell invited my dad and I to lunch.
"Each week this season we have been winning and I've been giving it to my mates. I'm praying we win this weekend because otherwise it might come back at me."
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