Billy Burns was part of the Panthers' Generation Next.
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A tough forward from the state's west, he was one of a crop of emerging talents developed to turn the club into a premiership force.
Burns' time in Penrith ended recently, the 22-year-old moving to St George Illawarra earlier this season after receiving limited playing time in a stacked roster.
But while he may not have spent as much time on the field as he would have liked, the forward had a first-hand view of the club's rise, first under Anthony Griffin and later Ivan Cleary.
It's only early days in Wollongong, but since relocating Burns has been impressed by what Griffin is building in his first year in charge.
"The Dragons are quite similar to Penrith," Burns said. "It's a good footy culture, everyone's very welcoming. They were all keen to get to know me and that made playing a lot easier."
While excitement was high following St George Illawarra's round-five victory over Parramatta, the club has come crashing back to reality in the past two weeks.
It's not dissimilar to what Penrith had experienced in the past six years, the team riding a rocky path before ultimately arriving at the top of the NRL ladder last season.
The Dragons are under no illusions as to how far they have to go before they are competing for premierships.
But confidence is high that Griffin is laying the platform required to set the team up for long-term success.
"Everyone here, young or old, they're all hungry footy players," Burns said. "That's what it was like at Penrith when they were building, you can definitely see that here. Hook (Griffin) has a great set of eyes and a great mind, he's definitely leading the team in the right direction.
"The culture at Penrith is the same as it is here and you can't beat a great culture. We've started with a great culture here, now it's putting our best foot forward when it comes to game day. Whether that's preparation or individual mentality, that's what we need to go to the next level."
While Burns' stint in Penrith came more recently, retired forward Trent Merrin was at the club from the beginning.
Having watched Griffin lay the ground work for the next generation, the Australian representative knew the Dragons were in good hands when the coach was signed.
"Bringing Hook to the club, he was great at Penrith structuring the youth coming through," Merrin said. "What you see there is the team he pretty much led into first grade.
"I've seen first hand with the way the Dragons have started the season, there's the same vibe here. He's also learned a lot over the years he's been out of the game, so he's bringing a lot more to the Dragons than what he was at Penrith.
"Looking at what they're doing now, the club's in good hands with Hook steering the ship."
Sunday's clash with the Tigers shapes as crucial in St George Illawarra's push towards the game's elite, a match one of the comp's top teams would rarely lose.
Coming off a week from hell, with speculation surrounding the future of Tigers coach Michael Maguire, the Tigers are every chance of causing a boilover.
With an official farewell for Merrin before the match, the players know it's an outcome they can't let happen.
St George Illawarra were unable to take care of business against the Warriors a fortnight ago, an inability to do so a second time will reveal a lot about this side.
Merrin says farewell
Trent Merrin's career may have taken him to Penrith and Leeds, but the Shellharbour junior has declared WIN Stadium has always been his true home ground.
The Illawarra faithful will have the chance to say goodbye to the 2010 premiership winner during a lap of honour prior to Sunday's clash.
For the 31-year-old, it's an opportunity to thank the fans before giving back to those who made his career possible.
"Being there in front of the crowd, back at home, with my family and friends there, it will by a special day for myself and my family.
"WIN Stadium is my home, it's where I grew up. I always idolised that field. I used to go watch the Dragons play when I was younger, it holds a special place in my heart."
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