Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary was unequivocal when asked if he believes his side is the greatest of the NRL era.

“Definitely,” he said emphatically after beating the Storm 14-6 to clinch a fourth straight premiership on Sunday night.

Penrith became the first team in the NRL era to win four titles in a row and the first in first-grade history since the Dragons in 1966.

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Co-captain Isaah Yeo and five-eighth Jarome Luai both declared at full-time that the feat will never be repeated in the salary cap era.

“It’s such a special group, we might not be the prettiest team, the way we played throughout the season, but I just feel like our game holds up so much at the back end because of all the little things,” Yeo said.

“We back our defence, all week the media spoke about their spine… but internally we had a real belief in our defence and I think we’ve shown that over the last five years. Sometimes that can get forgotten.”

Remarkably, the Panthers have kept winning premierships despite being forced to shed so many star players with Viliame Kikau, Matt Burton, Api Koroisau and Viliame Kikau all taking paydays elsewhere, while Luai and James Fisher-Harris will now depart.

“It’s crazy. Five years ago we were the ones out there crying after losing and to then go four straight, it’s unbelievable and such a great feeling,” Cleary said.

“This feeling right now, it’s so addictive, it’s just the best. Yes it’s hard, but you’ve got to pay the price for success and even more so to stay at the top.

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“It’s something we pride ourselves on and there’s guys in our team who haven’t had it before, Paul Alamoti was massive, Liam Henry as well. It’s the best.

“I’m just so proud of us as a group to keep turning up in defence tonight, particularly a year where our defence probably wasn’t where we wanted it to be but in the big games we showed up and fell back to our training habits and it showed on the big stage.”

Cleary was asked what he would have said if someone told him after losing the 2020 grand final that he’d win the next four.

“I would have said you were mad, to be honest,” he said.

“There was definitely belief there but it’s just exceeded all dreams and expectations to be honest.

“The beauty of it has been staying present through the lot and enjoying the journey that we’re on. Just been ticking off one after the other and it’s just been an incredible ride and one that we’re still on. We want to keep achieving more things and keep creating great memories with such a good group.

“Growing up I was a footy nerd, all I wanted to do was play first grade and now to win four grand finals, it’s incredible, to be able to do it with this group, how much effort and time goes into it, to achieve greatness, it’s really special.”

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Cleary was asked about that “greatness” and if he sees his team as the best of the NRL era.

“In the NRL era, definitely. I don’t think there’s much more that we could do (to prove that),” he said.

“Obviously that Dragons team back then was an outstanding team and achieved an amazing feat.

“But in terms of the NRL era it’s pretty crazy and we have lost great players along this journey and are going to lose more next year, but we just keep finding a way and people just step up.

“Paul Alamoti has come in and filled the shoes of Critta and Taylan May and now he’s up on the big stage carving up.

“It’s special to have that culture where we can bring people in and they just do their job and probably exceed it to be honest.”