A jersey for John: Panthers go old school to honour a legend

Aside from the lure of another minor premiership, the final home game of the season will carry extra meaning for the Panthers. 

When they charge onto CommBank Stadium just after 4.00pm on Sunday, the Panthers will honour one of the most inspirational figures in the club’s history, the late John Farragher OAM.

The Panthers will wear special replica jerseys inspired by the club’s iconic 1978 kit worn by Farragher in his final game for the club.

The design honours Farragher’s enduring legacy, proudly displaying his name and Panther number #149 on the chest.

Farragher passed away in November last year but his impact on the Panthers community continues to be felt throughout the club.

Ivan Cleary's team sheet for the clash with Wests Tigers features the name John Farragher in No.23, fittingly right alongside another club legend Isaah Yeo in No.22.

And hundreds of kilometres away, Panther #181 is on a journey of his own to honour the man he called a champion mate.

Premiership hero Royce Simmons’ fifth annual Big Walk started in Farragher’s home town of Gilgandra, travelling through the Central West via Dubbo and Royce's home town of Gooloogong before finishing in Cowra.

For Simmons, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2021, this year’s 350km journey carries even greater meaning.

“I got to know Johnny in the early ’80s when I was playing for Penrith,” Simmons told NRL.com.

“Johnny was working on the front door of the club and I got to know him and became very good mates with him over the years.

“He welcomed everyone and would make you feel good.”

Farragher’s journey with the Panthers began on the field when he came off the bench in a pre-season cup match against St George at Belmore Oval.

A powerful young prop from Gilgandra, he made his first-grade debut in Round 4 against a Rabbitohs pack featuring Bob McCarthy and Paul Sait.

In just his seventh first-grade game on May 28, 1978, the 21-year-old suffered a life-changing spinal injury after a scrum collapsed during a game against Newtown at Henson Park.

But while his playing career was tragically cut short, Farragher’s connection to the Panthers was only just beginning.

He returned to the club in an office role and became one of Penrith’s most beloved figures, spending more than four decades welcoming players and staff through the front doors.

Simmons spent his entire 11-year playing career with Penrith from 1980 to 1991, when Farragher became much more than a familiar face around the club.

“While I was playing there and he was in his wheelchair, I never heard the man whinge or complain once in my life,” Simmons said.

“He was a bloke I got to adore, a champion mate, and I spent a lot of time with him and learnt a lot of things off him.”

It was Farragher’s resilience and selflessness that left the greatest impression on Simmons.

“I loved his company. I learnt so much from him about respect and his ability not to complain, and the way he spent time with other people making them feel better.

“There he was going through a lot worse, but he was always thinking about other people.

I admired him that much for what he was all about. He certainly made me a better person

That admiration made it an easy decision for Royce to start this year’s Big Walk in Gilgandra.

“Out of respect for Johnny, I thought we would start out in Gilgandra and walk over to Cowra,” Simmons said.

Simmons created Royce’s Big Walk to raise vital funds and awareness for dementia research following his own diagnosis.

“Our foundation has paid for five or six research programs now,” Simmons said.

“There’s a lot of brilliant young doctors out there trying to find the answer, so we need to help them out by raising some money and giving them the opportunity to do that.”