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Future Canberra star scores double! | 00:54
The Panthers may have lost their first trial of 2025 but it marked another big step in a sensational comeback story for one player.
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Sione Fonua, known to his teammates as Johnny, started in the centres against the Raiders on Saturday night as he continues towards his dream of cracking the NRL.
Fonua, 25, was a teenage superstar and played in the New South Wales under-18 side back in 2017, before walking away from the game in 2020.
Penrith great and the club’s current deputy chairman Greg Alexander was calling the game on Fox League when he revealed just how far Fonua has come in recent years.
“He was an Eels junior, Johnny Fonua, and then gave the game away,” Alexander said.
“He played a first-grade trial against the Panthers in 2020 and that was it, he quit, he’d just had enough of the game.
“Disappeared for three years, came back to Brothers out at Penrith last year.
“He was 130kgs at a stage in his time off and out of the game (but) has impressed the coaching staff that much… he’s going to be at Penrith for quite a time.
“They’ve got no doubt that he can play first grade now, if they had to pick him in first grade, they would (be comfortable with it).
“Great story about a boy who just fell out of love with the game but was a teenage superstar.”
Fonua broke into the Panthers NSW Cup side at the back end of last season and made three appearances, one at fullback and two off the bench.
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NRL premiership winner Michael Ennis was calling the game with Alexander and backed the “classy” outside back to make his NRL debut this year.
“He looks calm under the high ball and he’s had some big moments,” Ennis said.
“He’s certainly been good tonight. He’s shown some really classy and powerful touches.”
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