After seeing a dangerous attacking performance from the Broncos in their preliminary final, Immortal Andrew Johns was all set to tip them to win their first premiership since 2006.
The forward pack's dominance and ability to open up space for a backline that has become lethal since the arrival of Reece Walsh and the emergence of young five-eighth Ezra Mam makes Sunday's decider a mouthwatering proposition, but Johns has thought long and hard about his tip and "flipped".
Speaking to Brad Fittler for Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth, he explained why he's now expecting the Panthers to complete a rare three-peat.
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"I've flipped the other way, I was tipping the Broncos after the weekend," Johns said.
"I thought their speed … but the more I think of it the more I think the defence of Penrith can get up in their face and I think the cool head and the control of Nathan [Cleary] (will be decisive), so I think Penrith by 2, and I've got Clive Churchill to Nathan Cleary."
Fittler, a grand final winner with the Panthers in 1991, is also tipping his side, but expects to see a relatively high scoring grand final on what is expected to be a hot day in western Sydney.
"I reckon there'll be some tries, I reckon it'll get up to about 24-28," Fittler said.
"And I'm thinking Liam Martin (to win Clive Churchill Medal), he's a worker, he comes up with brilliant plays, so I'm going to go with Liam Martin."
Johns added that "this could be one of the great grand finals" due to the clash of styles.
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"Brisbane will go in with that attacking offload footy and if it sticks, if all those offloads stick then I think they win," he said, pointing out that they're game style had caused costly errors in the preliminary final against the Warriors.
"Brisbane play a style of play that worries Penrith, the offloads," Johns added. "You can't beat them playing structured footy. So if the offloads stick, then I think Brisbane win. But if the offloads don't stick then Nathan [Cleary] will just strangle them, absolutely strangle them."
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and grand finals tips by all Nine's expert tipsters!
Andrew Johns: Panthers by 2; Nathan Cleary to win Clive Churchill Medal
Brad Fittler: Panthers by 4; Liam Martin to win Clive Churchill Medal
Darren Lockyer: Broncos by 4; Reece Walsh to win Clive Churchill Medal
Wally Lewis: Panthers by 10; Nathan Cleary to win Clive Churchill Medal
Allana Ferguson: Panthers by 7, Isaah Yeo to win Clive Churchill Medal
Billy Slater: Broncos by 8; Reece Walsh to win Clive Churchill Medal
James Bracey: Panthers by 4; Isaah Yeo to win Clive Churchill Medal
Peter Psaltis: Broncos by 2; Pat Carrigan to win Clive Churchill Medal
David Middleton: Panthers by 15; Isaah Yeo to win Clive Churchill Medal
The Mole: Panthers by 6; Nathan Cleary to win Clive Churchill Medal
Ben Glover: Panthers by 8; Nathan Cleary to win Clive Churchill Medal
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