Revealed: Why Penrith stars wore necklaces with LOLLIES and chocolates all over them to celebrate their stunning grand final win over Brisbane

Penrith have staked their claim as one of rugby league’s greatest ever sides, after Nathan Cleary engineered the biggest comeback in grand final history to beat Brisbane 26-14 and claim a third straight title.

Down 24-8 with 18 minutes to play at Accor Stadium on Sunday, Cleary set up two tries and scored one of his own in the dying minutes to give the Panthers the lead and earn himself a second Clive Churchill Medal.

Players and fans celebrated long after the match was over, and Panthers stars could be seen wearing colourful Polynesian candy leis around their necks.

Spencer Leniu was asked after the game about the significance of the decorations. 

‘A bit of our Samoan Polynesian culture,’ the he explained to Channel Nine.

Spencer Leniu explained that the decoration is given during celebration

‘It’s just a celebration sort of thing. Obviously we just won the grand final so they make these things… 

‘I think it’s good for us now because it’s off season and we can munch into some snacks!’

Leis – or garlands – have been a part of Polynesian culture since as long as anybody can remember.

In Samoa, the lei is called an ‘asoa’ or ‘ula’, in Tahiti, it’s ‘hei’, Cook Islands it’s ‘ei’, in Fiji ‘salusalu’, Hawaii ‘lei’, in Tonga it’s ‘kahoa’.

Different leis are made for all sorts of special occasions.

Leis are given during weddings, birthdays and graduations. They are also given to another as a sign of affection, friendship or appreciation.

The candy leis are particularly popular in Tonga and Samoa, and are intricately woven together with ribbons, cellophane and candies.

Penrith are the eighth team in history to win three straight premierships, and the first since Parramatta in 1983.

Leniu joked that they could now munch into the snacks because the season is over

The Panthers have staked their claim as one of rugby league’s greatest ever sides

 But their victory is the first in the NRL-era or under a salary cap.

‘There was that great Parramatta side, but that wasn’t the NRL-era either,’ coach Ivan Cleary said.

‘But things were different, it was just pretty much the Sydney comp back then. And I say that without trying to take anything away from what they did.

‘We’re not here to try and explain where we sit in history. I think we will be able to reflect in the next few days, it’s a pretty remarkable achievement.

‘It’s totally surreal. I don’t know how to explain it.’