If rising Penrith star Tyrone Peachey was worried that he wasn't putting his best foot forward for his Panthers side then he doesn't have to look far for a glowing appraisal. Just ask his teammate James Segeyaro.
Segeyaro was highly impressed with the unassuming 22-year-old after Peachey made his first appearance in the starting side for the Panthers following his move to Cronulla over the off-season in a 32-10 win over Newcastle.
"Tyrone's a gun. He's just so quick around the ruck and he's a really good player and good with his hands. He's the next generation coming through [here at the Panthers]," Segeyaro explained to NRL.com.
"I reckon Tyrone played really well against the Knights and he played the full 80 as well."
While Peachey's starting berth may have come as the result of injuries within the squad, the back-rower made the most of his opportunities with 23 tackles and 89 metres from 24 possessions as the Panthers blitzed the Knights on Sunday afternoon.
"It was good. To get the start due to a couple of injuries is not that good but I'm happy to be there and I just wanted to do my part for the team," Peachey told NRL.com.
"It's different out there in the first 20 minutes. More intensity – you just have to try and ride it out. I played the whole entire 80 so it was tough, but I felt good out there."
While he has spent time in NSW Cup in recent weeks, where he was judged to be the best lock in the competition last year playing for the Sharks, Peachey has slowly progressed to the Panthers starting side and was named 18th man for City Origin in what has proven to be a solid career move out west so far in 2014.
"I'm just happy [the Panthers] like me out here and I've seemed to be playing a lot of first grade here. I just want to continually be in the team and make the finals," Peachey said.
"It was a great experience being the 18th man [for City]. I was called up there because of a couple injuries but the same thing applies here I was just happy to be there."
In further good news for the Panthers, Nigel Plum was up and willing to talk to media after being concussed against the Knights.
Plum was penalised and placed on report for a shoulder charge following his challenge on Knights five-eighth Jarrod Mullen, while he also concussed himself in the same tackle when his head came into contact with Mullen's shoulder – a hit he said he doesn't remember.
"I've got no idea. I'm blank," Plum said of the contact.
With his children Miller, Levi and newborn Evie, who was born midway through last week, it was an unfortunate Mother's Day present for Plum's wife.
"My wife had the bub on Wednesday. It's very exciting times. I'm not concerned about [the concussion] so it should be pretty sweet. I feel fine and it's just a part of rugby league."
