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It wasn't so long ago that Panthers forward Mitch Kenny knew as much about playing hooker as he did cutting grass.
- Panthers forward Mitch Kenny hadn't started a game at hooker until 2019, when he worked on the greenkeeping crew for Penrith's training grounds
- Since then, Kenny has become a member of the Panthers squad
- Penrith have started Kenny at hooker in each of their past two matches with Blues star Api Koroisau coming off the bench
As recently as 2019, Kenny hadn't started a single match at dummy half in his life and was working as a grounds keeper on the rolling green fields around Penrith's training base as he chased his NRL dream.
From there, it's been quite a rise — after a positional switch that season, and that time working on the grounds staff for the Panthers, Kenny has gone from strength to strength to the point where he's odds-on to be Penrith's starting rake in Sunday's NRL grand final.
"Back then they had to give me a bit of time off so I could do a first grade pre-season, that got extended and eventually I switched to part-time so I could play NSW Cup," Kenny said.
"Eventually, I got the call I was making my debut and I worked one more day and told them I was playing and all the boys were so stoked.
"I don't think I did much on my last day on the tools, I just walked around and looked busy so I didn't tire myself out and then I never went back except to say g'day to the guys a few times.
"I came on for Fish (James Fisher-Harris) at the 50th minute of my first game and even though I'd become a hooker they threw me on at lock which was good, I could just go rip in.
"I was so nervous and we weren't going great, but we got the win. I think I partied for three days straight afterwards."
After a few years of spot duty in the season's since, Kenny's been a regular in the top 17 this year and in both of Penrith's finals games he's started at hooker with star rake Api Koroisau coming off the pine.
It's a plan that may well be replicated in the grand final, even though Kenny was named on the bench when teams were released on Tuesday.
The idea behind the switch is Kenny gets through the heavy duty stuff early with Koroisau coming on when the game opens up, fresh to attack a tiring defensive line.
Once that happens, Kenny switches to lock – a position he knows as well as that grass he used to cut.
"I played all my junior footy in the middle until I stopped growing. In some way I'm still finding my feet at hooker but even if I'm still learning in the position it is my position now," Kenny said.
"It wasn't so long ago I was on the ride-on working on the lawns. I still see some of those blokes go past every day and it reminds me I'm not all that. You can't get too far ahead of yourself, and I don't. I just try to take it day by day and lap it up."
Kenny has been working on his craft in the three years since his switch, but he's retained the hard-hitting instincts that the local junior on Penrith's radar in the first place.
His whole-hearted style has made him a cult hero among Panthers fans and despite giving up plenty of size to his opponents in the middle he never takes a backward step.
"I think I've always played like that, I try to punch above my weight a little bit but it's easy when you have guys like James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota with you," Kenny said.
"I just try and get on the back of what they're doing.
"I know a bit about the cult hero stuff. My mates see more of it, I think most of it is on Twitter and I try and stay away from that.
"There's a lot of loyal Panther fans but social media can get a bit wild."
Along with Charlie Staines, Jaeman Salmon and Izack Tago, Kenny is one of the few Panthers who are yet to taste grand final glory.
And while the Penrith Brothers product has been part of the squad for each of the past two finals campaigns, the fulltime siren is sure to hit just a little differently come Sunday.
"It was bittersweet last year (watching and not playing), but that's swept away because you want the team to have that success. It overshadows your own feelings, because I know how hard everyone at this club works," Kenny said.
"It's bigger than the 17 on the day. You're playing for an entire club.
I won't know what it means until it's all over. I can't even think what it would mean to me right now.
"Your performance is based on how you prepare, so I don't want to think about. But if it goes that way I'm sure it'll mean a whole lot. I'll find out how much on Sunday night."