Sydney City take on Penrith in tomorrow's National Rugby League grand final at the Olympic stadium, looking to become the first team to win back-to-back Australian titles in a decade.
Brisbane were the last team to win successive premierships in 1992-93 but the Roosters are strongly fancied to repeat the feat this year.
Penrith are long outsiders but also the sentimental favorites in a match that looms as a classic confrontation between the rich and poor.
While the Roosters, based in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs, are one of the sport's most glamorous clubs, Penrith are one of the less fashionable.
Located at the foothills of a mountain range in the city's working-class western suburbs, the Panthers have surprised everyone by making the grand final.
They were only admitted to the top flight in 1967 and have won the championship just once, in 1991, after finishing runners-up the previous season.
Times have been lean ever since. They finished bottom of the league two years ago and were given little hope of success this year after being left to recruit from players rejected by the richer clubs.
But the Panthers defied the gloomy preseason predictions to finish on top of the table at the completion of the regular competition
"We just go out there and play to win," Panthers coach John Lang said. "If in the end it's not good enough, well, so be it. But I think we've shown we have got the ability to do it."
The Roosters, who have won 12 titles since they joined the competition as one of the foundation clubs in 1908, boast a side packed with internationals including former Australia test captain Brad Fittler and British second-row forward Adrian Morley.
Roosters coach Ricky Stuart said his biggest worry was complacency.
"Only the great teams can go into a grand final and be favorites and win it. So there's a challenge there for our players."
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