After a huge four-try performance against the Tigers on Sunday afternoon, David Simmons has declared he's "stoked" to have reached a century of NRL tries.
With a starting position far from guaranteed at the Panthers, Simmons knew he may have never reached the mark.
"Injuries or a bit of poor form can see you not score many tries," Simmons said.
"I was hopeful to get there but I was ready as well if I never did. Stoked to get there."
His coach Ivan Cleary singled the experienced winger out for his efforts on the end of a backline that was having all the running against an injury-hit Tigers defence.
"No one scores four tries very often," Cleary said.
"But the 100-try thing, I don't know how many people have done it, but not too many.
"To do that is a massive achievement. But he's a guy who gets the absolute best out of himself.
"He's a consumate professional. Does everything he can, he's a great team guy.
"Really happy for him. If anyone deserves it, Dave does."
Simmons also had five tackle busts, three line breaks and a try assist in a performance usually reserved for the superstars of the game.
But the humble winger insisted his success was more a credit to his teammates, most notably his inside man Dean Whare who stood up fill-in centre Kyle Lovett on a number of occasions on Sunday afternoon.
"He's a world-class centre," Simmons said.
"He's the reason I've been scoring a lot of tries. Matt Moylan as well. Those guys are so talented. When our forwards lay a good platform. Those guys just come alive."
After seven years with his home-town team the Cronulla Sharks from 2003, Simmons is loving his time at the foot of the mountains.
"When I started playing years ago, it was just a dream to start playing first grade," he said.
"[I started with] the team I grew up with, the Sharkies. And coming to Penrith and starting again was a big moment for me.
"I'm just thankful I've been able to stay in the game so long and play with a lot of great players and experience some great moments and this is one of them.
"The club's going to do up a nice ball for me to remember it.
"Certainly they're really looking after me here at Penrith. It's going to be a good memory."
