Eighteen months ago, Zac Hosking walked away from his dream of playing for the Newcastle Knights.
A full-time carpenter, he had toiled away in reserve grade, twice winning the club's player of the year award at that level, but just couldn't crack first grade.
Now, after a stint in Brisbane where he played four games for the Broncos last year, he is on the verge of winning a World Club Challenge.
Having joined the Panthers on a two-year deal late last year, the Central Newcastle junior gets to start in the back-row against St Helens at BlueBet Stadium tonight.
Hosking has benefited from an injury to representative back-rower Liam Martin, but the 25-year-old has clearly made an impression at his new club over summer.
Another Novocastrian, former Knights captain Sione Mata'utia, lines up opposite Hosking for St Helens.
Saints have won four consecutive Super League titles and last week defeated St George Illawarra 30-18 in Wollongong as part of the NRL's Pre-Season Challenge.
But they face a huge task to match it with Penrith, who have made the past three NRL grand finals and won back-to-back premierships.
"They're the ultimate package," Mata'utia told the Newcastle Herald.
"They're the benchmark and have strike everywhere.
"Their pack is probably one of the best in the game at the moment. But we'd say the same for our team. We've got plenty of England internationals in our forward pack."
Mata'utia, who last week revealed a desire to return to the NRL in 2024, has been part of St Helens' last two premiership campaigns.
The 26-year-old said the English club had a culture which demanded success.
"I've rocked up and filled in numbers," he said. "The leadership they've got and the professionalism, you'd probably say it's another NRL team over there.
"James Roby is one of the GOATs of the game who has played 500-plus games and then you've got Johnny Lomax, who is another international, Alex Walmsley - there's just too many leaders in this group for us not to have any little bit of success."
St Helens have twice won the World Club Challenge, beating Brisbane in 2001 and 2007. But they've lost the past two they've played in, most recently to the Roosters (20-12) in 2020 and South Sydney (39-0) in 2015. Penrith were beaten by Wigan in 1991 and Bradford in 2004.
Mata'utia said the cross-hemisphere game was highly valued by St Helens' fans and his English club had paid due respect to both of their games in Australia.
"It's massive," he said.
"This is our first time we've actually travelled to Australia to play this game. They've spent a lot of money, we didn't come here for a little holiday. We're preparing really well and trying to take home the glory to have that extra trophy in our cabinet."
St Helens will feel the heat at Penrith with kick-off delayed to 6.50pm to ease the burden of playing in temperatures nearing 40 degrees.
"We play two different styles of footy, which is going to be interesting," Mata'utia said. "But it's going to be a cracker of a game. Hopefully we can put it to them."
