Penrith Panthers youngster Jack Cole has become one of the more surprising selection calls for the NRL's kick-off in Las Vegas on Sunday, but he has no intentions of handing back the jersey anytime soon.
The five-eighth, who can also play centre, has long been touted as a big part of Penrith's future.
His development, maybe a touch slower than many would have been hoping for, was seemingly hit for six at the end of 2024, though, when Penrith signed Blaize Talagi from the Parramatta Eels in an apparent direct replacement for Jarome Luai, who has joined the Wests Tigers on a rich new contract for 2025 and beyond.
But then on Tuesday, Penrith coach Ivan Cleary named Cole to start in the season opener, and the order of business at Penrith - who have prioritised their own youth talent in recent seasons to keep the NRL's most dominant system rolling - was restored.
Cole, speaking in Las Vegas ahead of Penrith 's Round 1 clash against the Cronulla Sharks, told The Sydney Morning Herald that it's a jersey he wants to hold for the remainder of the season.
โI'm going to try to stay there,โ Cole told the publication.
โThat's the mindset you've gotta have. You can't just be hoping to play one week and then hoping you're playing the next week. You've gotta want to stay there, so I'm going to try to do that.โ
Cole also revealed he will be able to play a role on the field in a new halves combination that suits his own game rather than trying to replace Jarome Luai.
โI'm not trying to be what Jarome was like. I like watching him and I try to take little bits of his game and put them into mine. I've still got a little bit to work on, but I know that I'm going back myself," the youngster said.
What the Round 1 selection means moving forward remains to be seen.
Penrith was set to be missing Paul Alamoti for the opening round, but he has made a recovery to be named, albeit on the wing, while Luke Garner has surprisingly won a centre role.
That comes with the Panthers having an overload of second-row options, but does leave Talagi, who could play in the centres equally as well as he does at five-eighth or fullback, on the outside looking in.
According to all reports, Brian To'o will be back for Round 2, meaning Alamoti will then be shuffled back to the centres, and Garner will likely return to the bench.
This was potentially pushing Talagi even further down the pecking order for a spot in the run-on side, given Daine Laurie also appears the most likely back up option for Dylan Edwards in the number one.
