THE Penrith Panthers' faith and confidence in Dubbo's Isaah Yeo was confirmed on Thursday when the versatile back-rower signed a new three-year deal with the club.
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The 21-year-old former St John's junior made his Panthers debut in 2014 and has since proved a valuable member of the squad, filling in a number of positions during the club's injury-ravaged 2015 season.
The new deal will see Yeo remain with the Panthers until at least the end of the 2019 season.
"Penrith has been my home since I was 17 so to be able to continue to represent the club is something I'm very proud of," Yeo said to the Panthers' official website.
"I'd like to thank Anthony Griffin and Phil Gould for showing faith in me and allowing me to sign a new deal before the season has kicked off.
"I believe the future of this club is extremely bright so to be able to be involved with it and share it with some of my best mates is something I'm very excited about."
The Dubbo junior's work clearly had not gone unnoticed at the club and Penrith executive general manager Phil Gould lavished praise on Yeo when he too spoke to the club's website.
"It has been wonderful to watch Isaah's development since he first joined our club years ago," he stated.
"He was a member of our 2013 premiership-winning NYC team and has now established himself as a mainstay in our NRL squad.
"I honestly believe Isaah will be a long-term NRL player with the Panthers and a representative talent in the future."
Yeo, whose father Justin played 11 NRL matches during spells with the North Sydney Bears and Balmain Tigers, made the move to the foot of the mountains to play SG Ball with the Panthers in 2011.
He made the move to the Holden Cup the following season and was then part of the squad which took out the premiership in 2013.
His meteoric rise continued and in round one of 2014 when he was named to make his NRL debut at just 19 years of age.
Yeo has since gone on to make 31 NRL appearances, scoring four tries in the process, and last weekend he was part of the Panthers squad which took part in the Auckland Nines.
Yeo is also currently combining his training and playing with studies, as he is completing a bachelor of arts (pathway to primary teaching) degree at the University of Western Sydney.