Isaiah Papali'i struggled initially but gained confidence for a crucial finals match against the Warriors.
Isaiah Papali'i admits there were times he struggled to meet the fitness standards demanded by four-time reigning premiers Penrith in his first season at the NRL powerhouse.
But fast-forward a few months and Papali'i takes "massive confidence" into a do-or-die finals clash with the Warriors, where his career began.
Over the off-season, Papali'i became a rare example of a household name recruited to the Panthers, whose premiership dynasty has mostly been built from within their junior talent pool.