A local rivalry, 'the battle of the west,' a 36-year premiership drought on one end and the continuation of what may become one of the great rugby league dynasties on the other.
The premiers may be the favourites but the underdogs are far from ranked outsiders.
If both sides play their best football on the night it could be one of the all-time classics played in the first week of October.
With that in mind, let's set the criteria for what constitutes a great grand final as we review the five best the last decade has had to offer.
Last year's grand final was a little unorthodox from the jump with the whole competition relocated to Queensland as a consequence of the pandemic.
But the change of venue from ANZ to Suncorp did nothing to dull this electrifying contest.
The Panthers and Rabbitohs had met in the opening round of the 2021 finals series and to the surprise of many, the Bunnies produced an upset defeating Penrith 16 -10.
More drama ensued when coaches Wayne Bennett and Ivan Cleary exchanged barbs with each other in the post-match press conferences.
The Rabbitohs would continue to defy the odds snapping a 3-year steak of preliminary final defeats to secure their first grand final spot since 2014.
And doing it all without the services of Latrell Mitchell who had been suspended before the finals series.
After their loss in the qualifying final, Penrith would need to overcome both rivals Parramatta and Melbourne in tight contests to get their chance at revenge.
Cleary controlled the game with a level head and steady hand, kicking into the corners and forcing South Sydney to battle through wave upon wave of Penrith tacklers to get out of their half.
Walker was mesmerising in attack, scoring the opening try for the Rabbits with a step, a fend and a clean break to run 30 metres towards the white strip.
But in the second half, he would go from hero to villain in Redfern.
Locked up at eight-all in the 66th minute, he send out an all-or-nothing rainbow ball for Alex Johnston, one which was plucked from the air by Stephen Crichton who ran away to score Penrith's second try.
At 14 - 8, the game was far from gone and the Rabbitohs would cross again through Johnston.
But a two-point margin proved to be a bridge too far for the Rabbitohs after Adam Reynolds failed to convert from the sideline.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 03: Jarome Luai of the Panthers celebrates with Matt Burton of the Panthers after he scored a try during the 2021 NRL Grand Final match between the Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium on October 03, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
