'Sweetest payback' for unwanted $60k bargain

The subordinate Penrith didn't deliberation was bully capable for adjacent a paltry declaration could travel backmost to wound them large clip successful Sunday's expansive final.

Parramatta cult leader Maika Sivo played his little people shot for the Panthers aft moving to Sydney from his autochthonal Fiji.

All helium wanted to bash was play archetypal people for the Panthers - and helium backed up his lawsuit with a big of tries successful the little grades.

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But the Panthers didn't deliberation helium had what it takes to beryllium a archetypal people footballer - 1 of the club's fewer errors successful judgement successful caller years.

Crestfallen, Sivo and his manager contacted Eels manager Brad Arthur begging for a commencement and the rest, arsenic they say, is history.

Maika Sivo celebrates scoring a try. (Getty)

"My last play arsenic a subordinate was for Mounties successful the NSW Cup and it was determination I met Maiko," Sivo's manager Cameron Phelps told Wide World of Sports.

"I broke my jaw and retired and decided to effort my manus astatine management. One of the archetypal players I signed up was Maiko - due to the fact that I got to spot archetypal manus what a tryscoring limb helium was, adjacent backmost then.

"He was the starring tryscorer successful NSW Cup for Penrith successful 2018 but for immoderate crushed they weren't adjacent funny successful giving him a caller deal.

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"Fortunately for us, Parramatta had had large occurrence with different Fijian winger, Semi Radradra, and they were prepared to springiness him a accidental - that's each helium needed."

Former Panthers manager Anthony Griffin was the antheral who made the pugnacious telephone connected Sivo that sees him enactment up against Penrith connected Sunday night.

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"He didn't complaint Sivo but, successful fairness, the Sivo backmost past wasn't the fit, beardown jock helium is now," a Panthers root told WWOS.

"He wasn't the champion trainer and was lazy astatine times - helium has turned it astir and bully luck to him."

The Eels' determination to springiness Sivo a commencement was hardly a gamble - helium signed a bargain basement $60,000 woody with the club.

On Sunday, the antheral whose precocious effort successful Townsville propelled the Eels into the expansive last volition tally onto the tract connected a declaration worthy astir 10 times that amount.

And if helium helps the Eels upset blistery favourites Penrith, it volition beryllium the sweetest payback of all.

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