After losing several young halves in the past couple of years, the Penrith Panthers have signed one of the best young rugby league playmakers.
Named as Queensland's halfback for the 2023 Under-19s State of Origin series, the Panthers have been able to poach Zack Lamont from the North Queensland Cowboys.
Playing with the Townsville Blackhawks last season in the Mal Meninga Cup and Hastings Deering Colts competition, Lamont was a Cowboys Young Guns member but has now moved down to New South Wales.
At this stage, it is unknown what type of contract he has agreed on with the Panthers, but he has spent the past two weeks competing for the club's NSW Cup team.
Jarome Luai's departure to the Wests Tigers next season will see him contend with Jack Cole, Daine Laurie, Brad Schneider and Trent Toelau to partner Cleary in the halves for the 2025 NRL season.
Lamont's signing to the Panthers comes after the club has lost Isaiya Katoa (The Dolphins), Luke Hanson (New Zealand Warriors), Sean O'Sullivan (The Dolphins), and Riley Pollard (Cronulla Sharks) in the past few seasons.
They will also lose Jarome Luai (Wests Tigers) and Jett Cleary (New Zealand Warriors) to rival teams next season.
“I loved any halfback that was good… Johnathan Thurston was so good,” Lamont told QRL.com last season when asked who he looked up to as a child.
“He does pop around for kicking sessions. Every time you see him there, you're kind of in awe. Whenever he's around, everyone loves it.
“Darren Lockyer…. he was so dominant starting out. That's when I really started getting into footy.
"Obviously I was nine, but I'd go back and watch all of his stuff. He was so good. Such a good five-eighth who moved around the field really well.”
His arrival to the Penrith Panthers makes him the sixth player who competed in last year's Under-19s State of Origin series, alongside Harrison Hassett, Jesse McLean, Luron Patea, Billy Scott and Tim Sielaff-Burns.