LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
As the Penrith Panthers return to the NRL Finals, they will be counting on the contributions of their younger players to help secure a fifth consecutive premiership. Following last year's successful campaign against the Melbourne Storm, the team had to say goodbye to key players James Fisher-Harris, Jarome Luai, and Sunia Turuva.
The departures of these veterans, however, have created opportunities for fresh talent to step in and energize an already strong squad.
Casey McLean, who is making his debut in 2024, has seized this chance by taking over Turuva's position in the back-line. Yet, the journey hasn't been entirely effortless for the 19-year-old.
Identified as a crucial player for Penrith's future alongside other young talents like Blaize Talagi and Luron Patea, McLean had a promising start to the season, notching five tries in his first seven games. However, by Round 10, he was demoted to reserve grade.
"You're not going to always have too many highs, you're going to have some lows and you're going to have to ride those well but it's just being able to move forward," he said. "You have to take those learnings and improve and just become a better player but also a better person."