Wests Tigers star Daine Laurie wears Panthers jersey in GF celebrations

Wests Tigers star Daine Laurie was pictured wearing a Penrith jersey amid celebrations of the Panthers’ enthralling grand final victory on Sunday night.

Laurie spent five years in the Panthers’ set-up; he made his first grade debut for the club in round 13 last year before switching to the Tigers for 2021.

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The fullback was featured in a video posted to Facebook on Monday by Thiqa Media, showcasing the celebratory scenes of Panthers fans in Penrith.

The brief moment Laurie featured in the video was screenshotted and posted on Twitter.

One Twitter user described Laurie’s appearance as “a kick in the balls”, while another suggested the Tigers should “tear his contract up immediately”.

However, another Twitter user believed it wasn’t a big deal, and wrote: “Our only expectation of our players can be that they give their all every time they pull on the jersey and cross the white stripe. It begins and ends there. If Daine Laurie wants to whack on his Panthers jersey and cheer them on, go for it.”

It didn’t appear a good look for the Tigers fullback, as the photo on Twitter gained traction hours before he was announced as the joint winner of the Kelly-Barnes Medal for the club’s player of the year alongside Luke Brooks.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a stellar debut season for the Concord club, registering seven tries in 19 appearances before his season was cut short due to a fibula fracture in the Tigers’ round 20 clash against the Warriors.