Penrith will treat their heavyweight World Club Challenge clash with St Helens as their final frontier, as they hunt the one trophy denied to them by COVID in their three years of NRL dominance.
The best team in Australia since the start of 2020, Penrith players are well aware the World Club Challenge is the only trophy to elude the club in its history.
Beaten in 1991 and 2004 by Wigan and Bradford respectively, Saturday night's match is the club's third World Club Challenge final appearance but the first for the current group of all-conquering Panthers.
"It is a little bit (of a final frontier)," halfback Nathan Cleary said.
"It's obviously a unique situation for us, we haven't been able to play in one yet. It's a great challenge as well.
"It's a great opportunity for us as a club, we have never won one before.
Penrith are, however, well aware this won't come easy.
St Helens last season became the first side to win four straight titles in the English Super League era, in a stretch of dominance outlasting even the Panthers.
In the past four years the Saints have gone at an 81 per cent win rate, marginally behind the 86 per cent of games the Panthers have won in their three-year run.
"A team like St Helens, they deserve the utmost respect," Cleary said.
"They have won four comps in a row. It's pretty unbelievable really.
"I'm really looking forward to the challenge that brings on Saturday night."
Playing at home should serve some advantage.
No Australian team has been beaten in a World Club Challenge final on home soil, while the lack of travel means less of a balance has to be struck between this game and preparing for the NRL season.
Coaching staff have spent this week putting an emphasis on stopping St Helens, while players who featured in last year's World Cup returned to pre-season early to ensure they could play.
Penrith are without Clive Churchill Medallist Dylan Edwards (hamstring) and Liam Martin (shoulder), but Cleary insisted the injection of the Canterbury-bound Stephen Crichton to fullback should lessen the pain.
"Every time Critta has gone back there in the past he has done a great job," Cleary said.
"Dyl is a massive loss, but it's a great opportunity for Critta and I'm looking forward to see how he goes."
CLASH OF THE TITANS
PENRITH (NRL 2020-2022)
Played: 78
Won: 67 (85.9 per cent)
Premierships: 2
Average points scored: 23.7
Average points conceded: 12.7
ST HELENS (Super League 2019-2022)
Played: 103
Won: 84 (81.5 per cent)
Premierships: 4
Average points scored: 27.7
Average points conceded: 12.2
