Lucas magic consigns Penrith to last on ladder
Dylan Lucas' hat-trick has powered Newcastle to a vital 25-6 defeat of four-time reigning premiers Penrith, who slumped back to the bottom of the NRL ladder in Bathurst.
As injuries and State of Origin absences depleted both sides, Lucas showed his credentials as a future NSW player, helping the struggling Knights ease pressure on coach Adam O'Brien with an improved attacking performance.
Fletcher Sharpe excelled replacing Queensland's Kalyn Ponga at fullback, scoring the Knights' first try at close range to trigger a 24-0 first-half skirmish.
Sharpe finished with a staggering 18 tackle busts and four line breaks to go with a game-high 272 metres and was the Knights' best in a more even second half on Saturday night.
Penrith's five Origin absences notwithstanding, O'Brien may have found the solution to his long-running halves problem as five-eighth Tyson Gamble laid on all three of Lucas' tries.
Two came from beautiful flat balls in back-to-back sets before Gamble put boot to ball and helped the second-rower make it a four-score game after 25 minutes.
Lucas could've had a fourth try in the shadows of halftime had he not spilt the ball over the tryline with Daine Laurie covering in defence.
Adam Elliott tore a bicep in the first half as the only sour note for Newcastle.
The loss laid bare the mighty task ahead of the Panthers to salvage an already dire campaign in the always-testing Origin period.
The Panthers mercifully have byes before the final two Origin games but may need to rest players after Origin II given a trip to Auckland three days later.
Goal-line defence was again a major issue for Penrith in the first half, with back-up halfback Brad Schneider targeted by Lucas ahead of his first two tries.
The Panthers are now one point adrift at the bottom of the ladder and could lose prop Liam Henry to suspension for a crusher tackle on Sharpe.
Henry went to the sin bin for the shot in the first half, putting the Knights in position for their fourth try.
Highly-touted forward Harrison Hassett cut through for a try on debut in the second half.
But that was good as things got for Penrith as former Panther Jack Cogger put the cherry on top with a field goal as the last five minutes approached.
Newcastle debutant Paul Bryan dislocated his shoulder in his first minute but played on after having it popped back in.
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Knights legend Robbie O'Davis has called for Queensland to bench Kalyn Ponga for Origin II and criticised the Newcastle skipper's club form, labelling him "not the best fullback". O'Davis' comments on a fan podcast come as another ex-Knight tossed up Boyd Cordner as a potential replacement for Knights coach Adam O'Brien should he be sacked. Ponga, who has missed Newcastle's past two games due to Origin and injury, is yet to score a try in 10 NRL games this season and struggled to make an impact in Queensland's 18-6 loss to NSW last week. A two-time premiership winner with the Knights and former Queensland fullback, O'Davis said Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who played centre in Origin I, could be a better option for the Maroons. "I'd put an in-form player like Hammer back at fullback," O'Davis said, speaking on The Knighted podcast. "KP is going to end up being the best player we've ever seen, the way he moves laterally ... He moves forward and laterally at the same speed, and no one has ever seen that before ... He is just a freakish talent. "[But] he has never been taught, I think, to play fullback. "He stands 60 yards back on play one ... He runs out of the defensive line on plays four and five to try and make a tackle on the kicker when he is supposed to be back there catching it. "Just little stuff like that. He jumps with the wrong knee in the air ... He is a bloody good player, but he is just not the best fullback. "There are a lot better fullbacks than him." O'Davis, who was part of Newcastle's 1997 and 2001 premierships, and played 223 games for the club and 12 Origins for Queensland, said he felt Ponga was too involved in Newcastle's play-making, rather than operating like a traditional fullback. But he acknowledged Newcastle's injury toll this season, particularly the loss of centre Bradman Best. "He is getting in the habit of getting in front of his halves at club level," the 52-year-old, who also played eight Tests for Australia, said of Ponga. "It's something he does very well at times, he plays our halves out of form a lot of the time ... [but] someone has got to get in his ear and say, 'Kalyn, you're such a good runner, you're the best ball-break runner in the game' ... [but] we're missing Bradman a bit I think ... KP can show him the ball a few times and then make the decision of whether he gives it to him. "Having Kalyn come off the bench [in Origin], he could run out of dummy-half and tear a side apart." Ponga, who is now in his 10th season of first grade, may be yet to cross the try-line in a struggling Knights side, but he is averaging 161 run-metres per game and has notched six try-assists in 2025. Asked about his marquee player's form on Wednesday, Knights coach Adam O'Brien said Ponga was a "product" of Newcastle's collective battles this season. "It's unrealistic and unfair to put a heap of pressure on Kalyn when we've had the amount of injuries and suspensions, and lack of go-forward and lack of experience," O'Brien said. "He is a product of having to go through that. "And I think he is not on his own, there's some other guys there ... you can see [in] the games ... when we've had that on deck, we've played quite well and there hasn't been as much noise. "The moment they're absent, people seem to forget that they're absent and then all the pressure comes back on Kalyn." O'Brien confirmed Ponga would start against Manly at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night but had struggled with an ankle problem. He has also dealt with a rib issue. He said the skipper, 27, felt the weight of expectation and was desperate to try to turn Newcastle's season around. "He realises the position as much as anyone else that we're in, and he understands the importance of getting out there and fighting hard together," O'Brien said. "He is excited to get out there and help." Newcastle are third last, or 15th, ahead of hosting seventh-placed Manly, who are coming off a 34-6 win over Brisbane last week. Much like recent seasons when Newcastle's form and ladder position has dipped, O'Brien's future has come into the spotlight this year, and on Wednesday the club's former recruitment officer - and player - Alex McKinnon suggested if the coach was moved on, the club should look at former Roosters, NSW and Australian skipper Boyd Cordner. "Let me be very clear, I don't think Newcastle should part ways with Adam O'Brien, I've been one of his biggest supporters from day one," McKinnon wrote in his semi-regular Fox Sports column. "But the NRL is becoming an increasingly fickle business and as they say, it's a lot easier to sack the coach than half the players. "So if the Knights do call it a day on Adam's six-year tenure, I have the perfect replacement - albeit a little left field. "I think the three things Newcastle needs when it comes to hiring a coach are a big name, a proven winner and if possible somebody from the area." McKinnon stopped short of suggesting club legends Andrew and Matthew Johns, but said Cordner was developing into an elite coach in his lower-grade role at the Roosters and an assistant for the Blues. "To coach the Knights you need a presence and Boyd certainly has that. He's hugely respected in Newcastle where he's still got plenty of family and friends. "He won premierships, Origin series, World Cups; everywhere Boyd went, he won. "With the greatest of respect to Josh Hannay or Matt King or Ben Gardner, who appear to be next in line for a NRL head coach role, Knights supporters need a name they can really identify with and throw their support behind." With Newcastle potentially just a loss away from falling to dead last, O'Brien, who is in his sixth season at the Knights, said the spotlight and pressure was part and parcel of the game. "There's always pressure. I'm no different to the players," O'Brien said. "We hear all the outside noise. "But like I said to the playing group, how we behave, how we act and how we look after each other in this period, it absolutely includes me. "I can't worry about it. I've just got to focus to do my part to help them get out of this. "We're all in it together." Knights legend Robbie O'Davis has called for Queensland to bench Kalyn Ponga for Origin II and criticised the Newcastle skipper's club form, labelling him "not the best fullback". O'Davis' comments on a fan podcast come as another ex-Knight tossed up Boyd Cordner as a potential replacement for Knights coach Adam O'Brien should he be sacked. Ponga, who has missed Newcastle's past two games due to Origin and injury, is yet to score a try in 10 NRL games this season and struggled to make an impact in Queensland's 18-6 loss to NSW last week. A two-time premiership winner with the Knights and former Queensland fullback, O'Davis said Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who played centre in Origin I, could be a better option for the Maroons. "I'd put an in-form player like Hammer back at fullback," O'Davis said, speaking on The Knighted podcast. "KP is going to end up being the best player we've ever seen, the way he moves laterally ... He moves forward and laterally at the same speed, and no one has ever seen that before ... He is just a freakish talent. "[But] he has never been taught, I think, to play fullback. "He stands 60 yards back on play one ... He runs out of the defensive line on plays four and five to try and make a tackle on the kicker when he is supposed to be back there catching it. "Just little stuff like that. He jumps with the wrong knee in the air ... He is a bloody good player, but he is just not the best fullback. "There are a lot better fullbacks than him." O'Davis, who was part of Newcastle's 1997 and 2001 premierships, and played 223 games for the club and 12 Origins for Queensland, said he felt Ponga was too involved in Newcastle's play-making, rather than operating like a traditional fullback. But he acknowledged Newcastle's injury toll this season, particularly the loss of centre Bradman Best. "He is getting in the habit of getting in front of his halves at club level," the 52-year-old, who also played eight Tests for Australia, said of Ponga. "It's something he does very well at times, he plays our halves out of form a lot of the time ... [but] someone has got to get in his ear and say, 'Kalyn, you're such a good runner, you're the best ball-break runner in the game' ... [but] we're missing Bradman a bit I think ... KP can show him the ball a few times and then make the decision of whether he gives it to him. "Having Kalyn come off the bench [in Origin], he could run out of dummy-half and tear a side apart." Ponga, who is now in his 10th season of first grade, may be yet to cross the try-line in a struggling Knights side, but he is averaging 161 run-metres per game and has notched six try-assists in 2025. Asked about his marquee player's form on Wednesday, Knights coach Adam O'Brien said Ponga was a "product" of Newcastle's collective battles this season. "It's unrealistic and unfair to put a heap of pressure on Kalyn when we've had the amount of injuries and suspensions, and lack of go-forward and lack of experience," O'Brien said. "He is a product of having to go through that. "And I think he is not on his own, there's some other guys there ... you can see [in] the games ... when we've had that on deck, we've played quite well and there hasn't been as much noise. "The moment they're absent, people seem to forget that they're absent and then all the pressure comes back on Kalyn." O'Brien confirmed Ponga would start against Manly at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night but had struggled with an ankle problem. He has also dealt with a rib issue. He said the skipper, 27, felt the weight of expectation and was desperate to try to turn Newcastle's season around. "He realises the position as much as anyone else that we're in, and he understands the importance of getting out there and fighting hard together," O'Brien said. "He is excited to get out there and help." Newcastle are third last, or 15th, ahead of hosting seventh-placed Manly, who are coming off a 34-6 win over Brisbane last week. Much like recent seasons when Newcastle's form and ladder position has dipped, O'Brien's future has come into the spotlight this year, and on Wednesday the club's former recruitment officer - and player - Alex McKinnon suggested if the coach was moved on, the club should look at former Roosters, NSW and Australian skipper Boyd Cordner. "Let me be very clear, I don't think Newcastle should part ways with Adam O'Brien, I've been one of his biggest supporters from day one," McKinnon wrote in his semi-regular Fox Sports column. "But the NRL is becoming an increasingly fickle business and as they say, it's a lot easier to sack the coach than half the players. "So if the Knights do call it a day on Adam's six-year tenure, I have the perfect replacement - albeit a little left field. "I think the three things Newcastle needs when it comes to hiring a coach are a big name, a proven winner and if possible somebody from the area." McKinnon stopped short of suggesting club legends Andrew and Matthew Johns, but said Cordner was developing into an elite coach in his lower-grade role at the Roosters and an assistant for the Blues. "To coach the Knights you need a presence and Boyd certainly has that. He's hugely respected in Newcastle where he's still got plenty of family and friends. "He won premierships, Origin series, World Cups; everywhere Boyd went, he won. "With the greatest of respect to Josh Hannay or Matt King or Ben Gardner, who appear to be next in line for a NRL head coach role, Knights supporters need a name they can really identify with and throw their support behind." With Newcastle potentially just a loss away from falling to dead last, O'Brien, who is in his sixth season at the Knights, said the spotlight and pressure was part and parcel of the game. "There's always pressure. I'm no different to the players," O'Brien said. "We hear all the outside noise. "But like I said to the playing group, how we behave, how we act and how we look after each other in this period, it absolutely includes me. "I can't worry about it. I've just got to focus to do my part to help them get out of this. "We're all in it together." Knights legend Robbie O'Davis has called for Queensland to bench Kalyn Ponga for Origin II and criticised the Newcastle skipper's club form, labelling him "not the best fullback". O'Davis' comments on a fan podcast come as another ex-Knight tossed up Boyd Cordner as a potential replacement for Knights coach Adam O'Brien should he be sacked. Ponga, who has missed Newcastle's past two games due to Origin and injury, is yet to score a try in 10 NRL games this season and struggled to make an impact in Queensland's 18-6 loss to NSW last week. A two-time premiership winner with the Knights and former Queensland fullback, O'Davis said Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who played centre in Origin I, could be a better option for the Maroons. "I'd put an in-form player like Hammer back at fullback," O'Davis said, speaking on The Knighted podcast. "KP is going to end up being the best player we've ever seen, the way he moves laterally ... He moves forward and laterally at the same speed, and no one has ever seen that before ... He is just a freakish talent. "[But] he has never been taught, I think, to play fullback. "He stands 60 yards back on play one ... He runs out of the defensive line on plays four and five to try and make a tackle on the kicker when he is supposed to be back there catching it. "Just little stuff like that. He jumps with the wrong knee in the air ... He is a bloody good player, but he is just not the best fullback. "There are a lot better fullbacks than him." O'Davis, who was part of Newcastle's 1997 and 2001 premierships, and played 223 games for the club and 12 Origins for Queensland, said he felt Ponga was too involved in Newcastle's play-making, rather than operating like a traditional fullback. But he acknowledged Newcastle's injury toll this season, particularly the loss of centre Bradman Best. "He is getting in the habit of getting in front of his halves at club level," the 52-year-old, who also played eight Tests for Australia, said of Ponga. "It's something he does very well at times, he plays our halves out of form a lot of the time ... [but] someone has got to get in his ear and say, 'Kalyn, you're such a good runner, you're the best ball-break runner in the game' ... [but] we're missing Bradman a bit I think ... KP can show him the ball a few times and then make the decision of whether he gives it to him. "Having Kalyn come off the bench [in Origin], he could run out of dummy-half and tear a side apart." Ponga, who is now in his 10th season of first grade, may be yet to cross the try-line in a struggling Knights side, but he is averaging 161 run-metres per game and has notched six try-assists in 2025. Asked about his marquee player's form on Wednesday, Knights coach Adam O'Brien said Ponga was a "product" of Newcastle's collective battles this season. "It's unrealistic and unfair to put a heap of pressure on Kalyn when we've had the amount of injuries and suspensions, and lack of go-forward and lack of experience," O'Brien said. "He is a product of having to go through that. "And I think he is not on his own, there's some other guys there ... you can see [in] the games ... when we've had that on deck, we've played quite well and there hasn't been as much noise. "The moment they're absent, people seem to forget that they're absent and then all the pressure comes back on Kalyn." O'Brien confirmed Ponga would start against Manly at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night but had struggled with an ankle problem. He has also dealt with a rib issue. He said the skipper, 27, felt the weight of expectation and was desperate to try to turn Newcastle's season around. "He realises the position as much as anyone else that we're in, and he understands the importance of getting out there and fighting hard together," O'Brien said. "He is excited to get out there and help." Newcastle are third last, or 15th, ahead of hosting seventh-placed Manly, who are coming off a 34-6 win over Brisbane last week. Much like recent seasons when Newcastle's form and ladder position has dipped, O'Brien's future has come into the spotlight this year, and on Wednesday the club's former recruitment officer - and player - Alex McKinnon suggested if the coach was moved on, the club should look at former Roosters, NSW and Australian skipper Boyd Cordner. "Let me be very clear, I don't think Newcastle should part ways with Adam O'Brien, I've been one of his biggest supporters from day one," McKinnon wrote in his semi-regular Fox Sports column. "But the NRL is becoming an increasingly fickle business and as they say, it's a lot easier to sack the coach than half the players. "So if the Knights do call it a day on Adam's six-year tenure, I have the perfect replacement - albeit a little left field. "I think the three things Newcastle needs when it comes to hiring a coach are a big name, a proven winner and if possible somebody from the area." McKinnon stopped short of suggesting club legends Andrew and Matthew Johns, but said Cordner was developing into an elite coach in his lower-grade role at the Roosters and an assistant for the Blues. "To coach the Knights you need a presence and Boyd certainly has that. He's hugely respected in Newcastle where he's still got plenty of family and friends. "He won premierships, Origin series, World Cups; everywhere Boyd went, he won. "With the greatest of respect to Josh Hannay or Matt King or Ben Gardner, who appear to be next in line for a NRL head coach role, Knights supporters need a name they can really identify with and throw their support behind." With Newcastle potentially just a loss away from falling to dead last, O'Brien, who is in his sixth season at the Knights, said the spotlight and pressure was part and parcel of the game. "There's always pressure. I'm no different to the players," O'Brien said. "We hear all the outside noise. "But like I said to the playing group, how we behave, how we act and how we look after each other in this period, it absolutely includes me. "I can't worry about it. I've just got to focus to do my part to help them get out of this. "We're all in it together." Knights legend Robbie O'Davis has called for Queensland to bench Kalyn Ponga for Origin II and criticised the Newcastle skipper's club form, labelling him "not the best fullback". O'Davis' comments on a fan podcast come as another ex-Knight tossed up Boyd Cordner as a potential replacement for Knights coach Adam O'Brien should he be sacked. Ponga, who has missed Newcastle's past two games due to Origin and injury, is yet to score a try in 10 NRL games this season and struggled to make an impact in Queensland's 18-6 loss to NSW last week. A two-time premiership winner with the Knights and former Queensland fullback, O'Davis said Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who played centre in Origin I, could be a better option for the Maroons. "I'd put an in-form player like Hammer back at fullback," O'Davis said, speaking on The Knighted podcast. "KP is going to end up being the best player we've ever seen, the way he moves laterally ... He moves forward and laterally at the same speed, and no one has ever seen that before ... He is just a freakish talent. "[But] he has never been taught, I think, to play fullback. "He stands 60 yards back on play one ... He runs out of the defensive line on plays four and five to try and make a tackle on the kicker when he is supposed to be back there catching it. "Just little stuff like that. He jumps with the wrong knee in the air ... He is a bloody good player, but he is just not the best fullback. "There are a lot better fullbacks than him." O'Davis, who was part of Newcastle's 1997 and 2001 premierships, and played 223 games for the club and 12 Origins for Queensland, said he felt Ponga was too involved in Newcastle's play-making, rather than operating like a traditional fullback. But he acknowledged Newcastle's injury toll this season, particularly the loss of centre Bradman Best. "He is getting in the habit of getting in front of his halves at club level," the 52-year-old, who also played eight Tests for Australia, said of Ponga. "It's something he does very well at times, he plays our halves out of form a lot of the time ... [but] someone has got to get in his ear and say, 'Kalyn, you're such a good runner, you're the best ball-break runner in the game' ... [but] we're missing Bradman a bit I think ... KP can show him the ball a few times and then make the decision of whether he gives it to him. "Having Kalyn come off the bench [in Origin], he could run out of dummy-half and tear a side apart." Ponga, who is now in his 10th season of first grade, may be yet to cross the try-line in a struggling Knights side, but he is averaging 161 run-metres per game and has notched six try-assists in 2025. Asked about his marquee player's form on Wednesday, Knights coach Adam O'Brien said Ponga was a "product" of Newcastle's collective battles this season. "It's unrealistic and unfair to put a heap of pressure on Kalyn when we've had the amount of injuries and suspensions, and lack of go-forward and lack of experience," O'Brien said. "He is a product of having to go through that. "And I think he is not on his own, there's some other guys there ... you can see [in] the games ... when we've had that on deck, we've played quite well and there hasn't been as much noise. "The moment they're absent, people seem to forget that they're absent and then all the pressure comes back on Kalyn." O'Brien confirmed Ponga would start against Manly at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night but had struggled with an ankle problem. He has also dealt with a rib issue. He said the skipper, 27, felt the weight of expectation and was desperate to try to turn Newcastle's season around. "He realises the position as much as anyone else that we're in, and he understands the importance of getting out there and fighting hard together," O'Brien said. "He is excited to get out there and help." Newcastle are third last, or 15th, ahead of hosting seventh-placed Manly, who are coming off a 34-6 win over Brisbane last week. Much like recent seasons when Newcastle's form and ladder position has dipped, O'Brien's future has come into the spotlight this year, and on Wednesday the club's former recruitment officer - and player - Alex McKinnon suggested if the coach was moved on, the club should look at former Roosters, NSW and Australian skipper Boyd Cordner. "Let me be very clear, I don't think Newcastle should part ways with Adam O'Brien, I've been one of his biggest supporters from day one," McKinnon wrote in his semi-regular Fox Sports column. "But the NRL is becoming an increasingly fickle business and as they say, it's a lot easier to sack the coach than half the players. "So if the Knights do call it a day on Adam's six-year tenure, I have the perfect replacement - albeit a little left field. "I think the three things Newcastle needs when it comes to hiring a coach are a big name, a proven winner and if possible somebody from the area." McKinnon stopped short of suggesting club legends Andrew and Matthew Johns, but said Cordner was developing into an elite coach in his lower-grade role at the Roosters and an assistant for the Blues. "To coach the Knights you need a presence and Boyd certainly has that. He's hugely respected in Newcastle where he's still got plenty of family and friends. "He won premierships, Origin series, World Cups; everywhere Boyd went, he won. "With the greatest of respect to Josh Hannay or Matt King or Ben Gardner, who appear to be next in line for a NRL head coach role, Knights supporters need a name they can really identify with and throw their support behind." With Newcastle potentially just a loss away from falling to dead last, O'Brien, who is in his sixth season at the Knights, said the spotlight and pressure was part and parcel of the game. "There's always pressure. I'm no different to the players," O'Brien said. "We hear all the outside noise. "But like I said to the playing group, how we behave, how we act and how we look after each other in this period, it absolutely includes me. "I can't worry about it. I've just got to focus to do my part to help them get out of this. "We're all in it together."
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It took one training session with Penrith's top squad for powerhouse prop Luron Patea to knock back a Japanese rugby deal and pursue a contract in the NRL. Patea has emerged as Penrith's next big thing in the past month, with the 20-year-old providing the Panthers much needed power and impact off the bench. The Panthers junior has already been compared to Spencer Leniu, after announcing himself as a genuine talent with a barnstorming performance in Magic Round. But while he has been a breakout star in the NRL for the past month, Patea's talent has been known on the global stage for some time. The son of a rugby union coach who also played overseas, Patea played both codes as a teen and represented Australian schoolboys in the 15-man game in 2022. He also had an offer to move to a top-tier Japanese rugby club in 2023, which would have brought with it his first professional contract. But the front-rower instead opted to stick with Penrith, taking a punt on trying to crack into a squad that had already won two straight premierships. "There was nothing really promised of training full time," Patea told AAP. "I had the opportunity to go to Japan and play rugby overseas. But I spoke to my manager and family and decided I wanted to try and stick with rugby league. "It was just go in and try and play my best footy and try and get that opportunity. And fortunately I did after that year. "Now when I get the chance to sit back after games, I think about doing my family proud. "But I'm also proud of myself for making the decision to stay and backing it." Patea said his main motivation had come from training one day with Penrith's squad in 2022, as part of their Pearls program. There, the top picks of talent from U19s and U17s experience a full day training with the NRL squad, and are handed the same kit and schedule as full-time players. "I spent that day with Moses (Leota) and Spencer," Patea said. "Talking to them, they were telling me about the club and how they came through. I wanted to experience that for myself. "It made me just want to stay." More of a rugby union watcher growing up, Leota and Leniu are now the men Patea look up to for their work ethic and aggression respectively. It's also the kind of player the Panthers need right now, after losing Leniu and his bench impact after 2023. "I hear a lot of people say I am like another, Spencer," Patea said. "That's a good thing for me. Spencer's obviously a really good player and what he did for the club when he was here, I want to do as well. "There are similarities in the way we run ... But I'm just trying to build confidence to play my game and not be compared to anyone else." It took one training session with Penrith's top squad for powerhouse prop Luron Patea to knock back a Japanese rugby deal and pursue a contract in the NRL. Patea has emerged as Penrith's next big thing in the past month, with the 20-year-old providing the Panthers much needed power and impact off the bench. The Panthers junior has already been compared to Spencer Leniu, after announcing himself as a genuine talent with a barnstorming performance in Magic Round. But while he has been a breakout star in the NRL for the past month, Patea's talent has been known on the global stage for some time. The son of a rugby union coach who also played overseas, Patea played both codes as a teen and represented Australian schoolboys in the 15-man game in 2022. He also had an offer to move to a top-tier Japanese rugby club in 2023, which would have brought with it his first professional contract. But the front-rower instead opted to stick with Penrith, taking a punt on trying to crack into a squad that had already won two straight premierships. "There was nothing really promised of training full time," Patea told AAP. "I had the opportunity to go to Japan and play rugby overseas. But I spoke to my manager and family and decided I wanted to try and stick with rugby league. "It was just go in and try and play my best footy and try and get that opportunity. And fortunately I did after that year. "Now when I get the chance to sit back after games, I think about doing my family proud. "But I'm also proud of myself for making the decision to stay and backing it." Patea said his main motivation had come from training one day with Penrith's squad in 2022, as part of their Pearls program. There, the top picks of talent from U19s and U17s experience a full day training with the NRL squad, and are handed the same kit and schedule as full-time players. "I spent that day with Moses (Leota) and Spencer," Patea said. "Talking to them, they were telling me about the club and how they came through. I wanted to experience that for myself. "It made me just want to stay." More of a rugby union watcher growing up, Leota and Leniu are now the men Patea look up to for their work ethic and aggression respectively. It's also the kind of player the Panthers need right now, after losing Leniu and his bench impact after 2023. "I hear a lot of people say I am like another, Spencer," Patea said. "That's a good thing for me. Spencer's obviously a really good player and what he did for the club when he was here, I want to do as well. "There are similarities in the way we run ... But I'm just trying to build confidence to play my game and not be compared to anyone else." It took one training session with Penrith's top squad for powerhouse prop Luron Patea to knock back a Japanese rugby deal and pursue a contract in the NRL. Patea has emerged as Penrith's next big thing in the past month, with the 20-year-old providing the Panthers much needed power and impact off the bench. The Panthers junior has already been compared to Spencer Leniu, after announcing himself as a genuine talent with a barnstorming performance in Magic Round. But while he has been a breakout star in the NRL for the past month, Patea's talent has been known on the global stage for some time. The son of a rugby union coach who also played overseas, Patea played both codes as a teen and represented Australian schoolboys in the 15-man game in 2022. He also had an offer to move to a top-tier Japanese rugby club in 2023, which would have brought with it his first professional contract. But the front-rower instead opted to stick with Penrith, taking a punt on trying to crack into a squad that had already won two straight premierships. "There was nothing really promised of training full time," Patea told AAP. "I had the opportunity to go to Japan and play rugby overseas. But I spoke to my manager and family and decided I wanted to try and stick with rugby league. "It was just go in and try and play my best footy and try and get that opportunity. And fortunately I did after that year. "Now when I get the chance to sit back after games, I think about doing my family proud. "But I'm also proud of myself for making the decision to stay and backing it." Patea said his main motivation had come from training one day with Penrith's squad in 2022, as part of their Pearls program. There, the top picks of talent from U19s and U17s experience a full day training with the NRL squad, and are handed the same kit and schedule as full-time players. "I spent that day with Moses (Leota) and Spencer," Patea said. "Talking to them, they were telling me about the club and how they came through. I wanted to experience that for myself. "It made me just want to stay." More of a rugby union watcher growing up, Leota and Leniu are now the men Patea look up to for their work ethic and aggression respectively. It's also the kind of player the Panthers need right now, after losing Leniu and his bench impact after 2023. "I hear a lot of people say I am like another, Spencer," Patea said. "That's a good thing for me. Spencer's obviously a really good player and what he did for the club when he was here, I want to do as well. "There are similarities in the way we run ... But I'm just trying to build confidence to play my game and not be compared to anyone else."
