Mark Geyer vividly remembers September 22, 1991. It was the day Penrith won its first premiership, beating Canberra 19-12 at the Sydney Football Stadium.
"It was unbelievable - 30km from home people were parked on the side of the freeway. The town went ballistic for about six months."
That victory was more than 24 years in the making for a team once dubbed the "chocolate soldiers" because of their brown and white strip. The description assumed a more droll meaning over time because they were associated with melting in the second half.
It took until 1984 before they got out of the bottom half of the table, finishing seventh. Penrith's win percentages remain poor today as a result. They have a record below 50 per cent against 11 of the other 15 NRL teams.
By the time they won that premiership under coach Phil Gould, the nickname had become "liquorice allsorts" because of a multi-striped uniform - but, if nothing else, they had hardened up. Yet it was 12 years before they collected another premiership, celebrated by dedicating a front-office wall to "the Scott Sattler tackle". It records the exact time (57m 53s) when Sattler crossed the field at 6-6 to take out Roosters wing Todd Byrne and change the course of the 2003 final.
Incoming coach Ivan Cleary is likely to get a period of leniency as Penrith strives to be a development club. Certainly he has an ally in returning football general manager Gould, but honeymoons are short in the NRL.
Observing Penrith in action, Geyer's initial claims are believable. The club seems motivated by three factors: Cleary will be accustomed to several of them from his time across the Tasman Sea.
Penrith is isolated, around 50km west of central Sydney. That has led to a fortress mentality which, in turn, means fans are consumed by zealous pride.
As Geyer puts it: "It's a satellite city outside the main metropolis. Straight away you've got an isolation syndrome, which means you bond closer."
"It's an imposing place to play," says Warriors lock Micheal Luck.
"The crowd is ruthless. It's rugby league heartland; fans do their homework and let go with some good sledges. They're tough battles."