Penrith Panthers’ 2003 NRL premiership-winning team: Where are they now?

PENRITH’S 2003 PREMIERSHIP-WINNING TEAM

1. RHYS WESSER
Age: 44

Last played for: South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2011

Full-time employee at Souths Cares – the club’s charity arm – as ambassador and education and pathways advisor. Works primarily in local schools around the club’s Liverpool Opportunity Hub.

2. LUKE LEWIS

Age: 39

Last played for: Cronulla Sharks, 2018

Works as an NRL co-commentator on ABC Radio, calling three to four games a round. Has three start-up businesses – Idlvr (Uber service for trade materials and bulky items), LCISports (financial planning for professional athletes) and Unite (brand building for athletes).

3. PAUL WHATUIRA

Age: 41

Last played for: Parramatta Eels, 2011

Lives in New Zealand and runs positive mindset and enhancement programs for coaching across Australia and NZ, working with corporates and sporting organisations.

4. RYAN GIRDLER

Age: 50

Last played for: Penrith Panthers, 2004

Moved from Sydney’s northern beaches to Noosa, but still owns and runs four coffee shops – called Girdlers Cafes – in Dee Why, Warringah Mall, Manly and Avalon. Commentates NRL for Triple M.

5. LUKE ROONEY

Age: 40

Last played for: French rugby club Carcassonne, 2013-14

After switching codes to rugby, playing with the Rebel before a stint in Europe, he now lives in Melbourne with his family and runs personal one-on-one training for his company, called Luke Rooney Performance and Fitness. Also founder of the Rugby Pro Academy.

6. PRESTON CAMPBELL

Age: 45

Last played for: Gold Coast Titans, 2011

Lives on the Gold Coast and is a director of the Preston Campbell Foundation, established in 2015 and provides services for Indigenous youth and communities. His son, Jayden, plays for Gold Coast Titans.

7. CRAIG GOWER

Age: 45

Last played for: Newcastle Knights, 2013

Moved from Sydney’s northern beaches back to the Penrith area and owns his successful business called Craig Gower Concrete Pumping. Remains a mentor to Penrith’s younger players.

8. JOEL CLINTON

Age: 41

Last played for: Mackay Cutters, QCup, 2013

Set up a highly successful car wash range in Mackay during 2016, which he recently sold. Now works in the north Queensland mines and loves fishing.

9. LUKE PRIDDIS

Age: 46

Last played for: St George Illawarra Dragons, 2011

Runs the Luke Priddis Foundation, which highlights awareness for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Is also a certified financial planner and former RLPA board member.

10. MARTIN LANG

Age: 47

Last played for: Penrith Panthers, 2004

Lives on the Gold Coast and researches the effects of trauma to the brain. Works in the neuroscience field. Works for Centinel Spine and is an ambassador for Queensland Brain Institute.

11. JOE GALUVAO

Age: 44

Last played for: Manly Sea Eagles, 2013

The Panthers’ wellbeing officer. Educates players emerging in the club’s pathway systems. Works occasionally with the NRL squad and still lives in the Penrith area. His son, Judah, is in the Panthers’ junior system and was part of their SG Ball squad this year.

12. TONY PULETUA

Age: 43

Last played for: Hull Kingston Rovers, UK Super League, 2015

Lives in Sydney and is building manager at Surelinc Services, which organises property maintenance to large fit-outs in corporate and commercial buildings. Also a HVAC specialist.

13. SCOTT SATTLER

Age: 51

Last played for: Wests Tigers, 2004

Managing director of a national investigation and risk company called Complete Corporate Service, which operates through Australia and Indonesia. Company deals with law firms, insurance companies and major sporting organisations. Also works on SEN Radio with Mat Rogers.

14. BEN ROSS

Age: 42

Last played for: Cronulla Sharks, 2013

Previously worked in administration for the Cronulla Sharks but is now with Mountain Asset Partners. Spent eight years with NDIS and is an advocate for mental health.

15. TRENT WATERHOUSE

Age: 42

Last played for: Thirroul Butchers, Illawarra competition, 2015

Works for Emergency Services in fire and rescue in Sydney. Also works for a crane company. Finished his playing career with Thirroul on the NSW south coast.

16. SHANE RODNEY

Age: 39

Last played for: London Broncos, 2015

Moved to Blayney and coaches Orange Hawks in Group 10. Sells sporting merchandise and lives on an acreage. Ex-St Marys coach in the Sydney Shield.

17. LUKE SWAIN

Age: 41

Last played for: Saint-Estève XIII Catalan, French rugby league, 2013

Regional suicide prevention co-ordinator at Charles Sturt University in southwest Sydney. Continues working for the Clontarf Foundation.

COACH: JOHN LANG

Age: 72

Last coached: South Sydney, 2011

Lives on the Gold Coast. Stays healthy by riding his surf ski and dotes over his grandkids.

TWO SIDES OF ‘THAT’ TACKLE

SATTLER THE SAVIOUR

Scott Sattler has never spoken to Todd Byrne about that tackle but refers to the Sydney Roosters winger as a “poor bugger”.

Sattler knows Byrne has been open to scrutiny and some ridicule for being mowed down by the Panthers lock in the 2003 grand final.

On the game’s 20-year anniversary, the Panthers will celebrate the club’s 2003 grand final win before Friday night’s match against the Roosters at BlueBet Stadium.

Fourteen of the 17 Penrith players are expected to be at a reunion. Only Ryan Girdler, Preston Campbell and Martin Lang will be missing.

Sattler, who pulled off a ­famous cover tackle on a runaway Byrne when the score was 6-6, will be there.

In commentary, former Test forward Paul Vautin said: “That is one of the greatest tackles you will ever see.”

Sattler feels sorry for Byrne.

“I have never spoken to him, poor bugger,’’ he said. “He ­always gets reminded of it in grand finals weeks.

“I was at a Liverpool versus Brisbane Roar game one night when Liverpool visited Australia (in 2015). This guy in the crowd asked whether he could do a video message with me. I said ‘no worries’.

“He said it was for Toddy. I asked who Toddy was and he said he worked with Todd Byrne on the wharves.

“I said ‘mate, can you leave me out of that’.

“It was a wet night in 2003 which brought us plodders back into the game. If it was a dry pitch he would have burned me. He did what any winger should do, which is back himself.

“I hope he isn’t remembered for that moment because he was a bloody fine winger.

“You can’t hear anything in those big stadiums because of the crowd but I can distinctly remember Rhys Wesser – my nickname was Scooter – saying ‘I’ve got your inside, Scooter’.

“I just knew if I kept chasing and he stepped inside that Rhys would get him anyhow. That gave me the confidence to channel (Byrne) towards the sideline.

“I also look at the tackle from a completely different angle. It was my last game for the club so I was really fortunate to leave a club that I love with a moment in time I can ­always look back on fondly and individually.”

FLIP SIDE OF ICONIC MOMENT

He calls it a “shitty and tiring” moment that will remain etched in rugby league “for eternity”.

Former Sydney Roosters winger Todd Byrne has had two decades to come to terms with being part of one of the most iconic moments in grand final history – when he was racing towards a match-defining try only to be cut down by Panthers lock Scott Sattler.

Penrith will celebrate the club’s 2003 grand final win before tonight’s match against Sydney Roosters at BlueBet Stadium. And 20 years on, Sattler’s tackle on Byrne still looms large.

“Obviously it has become an iconic moment in grand final history. You can’t go back and change things so there’s no point getting salty about it,” Byrne said.

“But that’s not to say I like it and I know people will always remember it. It was one of my less-liked moments in life.

“It’s been there for 20 years, always there, always talked about. It will be one of those moments always remembered and probably become a trivia question for eternity.

“There are always times when you feel shitty about it and it can get a bit tiring when you speak about it so much – we’re still speaking about it 20 years later.

“It is just something I have to deal with in life. Not everything is rosy. I can’t do anything about it. When you are looking for a way to describe the turning point in the grand final, that was it.

“It will be like Steve Gearin catching the bomb for Canterbury (in the 1980 grand final) and Brett Kenny’s grand final tries – it will go through history.

“In the mental health side of things, I used it as a positive thing to motivate me and drive me forward. Most people wouldn’t recognise me these days anyway.”

Originally published as Penrith Panthers’ 2003 NRL premiership-winning team: Where are they now?