Journo swamped by rowdy footy fans in hilarious NRL grand final cross
Live crosses don't come much tougher than the one news reporter Alice Monfries had to endure on Sunday night.
The Channel Nine journalist was given the task of conducting her live cross from the Panthers Leagues club in Penrith heartland, just before the NRL grand final.
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Surrounded by a group of rowdy supporters before kick-off, the journalist did her best to try and keep things under wraps despite the chaos unfolding around her.
Nine presenter Peter Overton threw to the journalist to get an idea of the atmosphere at the venue, before Sunday night's decider against Melbourne Storm at ANZ Stadium.
To say it was electric was an understatement as Monfries quickly found out.
“I don’t even know if you can hear me right now, but they are feeling very confident,” Monfries said over the top of a cacophony of noise.
Right away after the cameras crossed to her from the news studio, a fan pulled out a shoe and proceeded to drink from it as his fellow Panthers fans cheered and screamed wildly.
“In fact, they say the rain is a good omen — 17 years ago they last took the trophy home in a wet Grand Final," Monfries persevered, despite being drowned out by the noise.
The reporter was then swamped by fans and lost out of camera shot as she desperately tried to continue the live cross.
Eventually, Monfries accepted the inevitable and threw back to the Nine studio, as the Penrith fans continued to go wild.
“We are almost at capacity here at Penrith Stadium, close to 2000 people … I’m going to throw back to you before I get mobbed.”
Red-hot Panthers chasing history
Penrith sprang somewhat of a selection shock by naming Tyrone May to start at centre again, relegating Brent Naden back to the bench.
Just as he did last week, Penrith coach Ivan Cleary confirmed an hour before kick off that May would start, with the coach preferring his defence against Melbourne.
It marks just the eighth time this year May has started, after playing as a bench utility for the majority of the season.
Naden did not get on the field in last week's preliminary final against South Sydney, spending the entire match on the bench.
Melbourne ran out as named, with Nelson Asofa-Solomona at lock and Dale Finucane on the bench.
Rain fell at ANZ Stadium all afternoon and did not let up before kick-off.
The Storm are in pursuit of their sixth grand final win, albeit with two stripped due to salary cap breaches in 2007 and 2009.
Penrith, meanwhile, are aiming for just their third premiership, to go with their 1991 and 2003 successes.
The Panthers are also hoping to become the first team since 1959 to win the premiership after losing just one game all season.
Another victory for the Panthers would also extend their winning streak to 18 games and leave them just one shy of the Roosters' all-time record of 19 straight wins set in 1975.
The Storm are aiming for their third NRL premiership of the past decade, in what could be veteran skipper Cam Smith's final game.
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