There's barely been a story about the upcoming NRL grand final which hasn't featured the former St John's junior's name prominently.

He was outstanding in the Penrith Panthers' preliminary final last weekend, setting up the all-important try with a barnstorming run in the second half that had some of the game's greats raving, while on Monday night he was named the NRL's Lock of the Year at the Dally M awards night.

But it hasn't been something which has gone to Yeo's head. In fact, it's something he hasn't really enjoyed.

The 25-year-old Dubbo product is someone who's always preferred flying under the radar.

The way he's played for the Panthers since making his debut in 2014 backs that up. He was the no-nonsense player who made his tackles and his hit-ups each and every week with little fanfare and rarely featured in the headlines.

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But this season has been different. He heads into Sunday's grand final clash with the Melbourne Storm as one of the best players in a Penrith team which has won its last 17 straight games.

"It's probably not something I like, to be fair," he said of the attention and praise.

"I like to keep to myself and I don't feel all that comfortable with it.

"The more the team is playing well you can push performances on to other players, which has been easy this year because each week one-to-17 there hasn't been a bad game.

"It's been a little bit strange and because the team has been playing so well the spotlight has been on us a bit more and I've been lucky enough to get a few mentions."

He's been mentioned by plenty when discussing NSW sides for this year's State of Origin and he's expected to be named in Brad Fittler's Blues squad regardless of the result on Sunday night.

To Yeo, the reason for his stunning form this season is pretty simple.

Last year was not one to remember for the former Group 11 premiership winner as he battled head knocks and concussion while he also suffered a season-ending shoulder injury which resulted in reconstructive surgery.

"I just wanted to put my best foot forward coming off the back of not a great year individually," he said.

"That was the focus and I've been fortunate enough to lock down the lock role so I've had consistency with where I've played throughout the year so that's helped myself and it helps any player."

It's resulted in the NSW Blues talk and that Origin arena is a long way from the days of travelling from Dubbo to Penrith to run around with the Panthers' SG Ball under 18s side.

That was 2011 and at that moment it felt like Yeo had hit the big time as he played in the colours of an NRL club.

"As a kid it's always the dream to play in the NRL but being from the country that feels like an eternity away," he said of his junior days in Dubbo.

That might have felt like the case for Yeo at the time, but it's largely because of his efforts others in the Western Rams region can now clearly see a path to the top.

Yeo was something of a pioneer for the Panthers' current batch of Western juniors.

The connection between this region and the Panthers is well known and Wellington's Brent Naden will also run out for Penrith on Sunday night while Dubbo's Matt Burton, Parkes junior Billy Burns, and Forbes speedster Charlie Staines have also played for the club in the top flight this year.

Another CYMS product, Kaide Ellis, also played for Penrith before making a mid-year switch to the St George Illawarra Dragons while there are a host of Rams graduates in the lower age groups at the Panthers and more are on the way for 2021 and beyond.

It's made the Panthers the second team, if not the first, for so many supporters in the region.

The feat of the group is not lost on the community either, with Yeo's former school St Mary's this week passing on their best wishes and congratulations while there's been plenty of well-wishing from St John's College as well.

"It's one of the perks from being from a country community, when one makes it everyone makes it," Yeo said.

"I've been lucky enough to get a few messages and videos from St Mary's.

"I was lucky to get a video from my old geography teacher, Andy Haycock, who does a bit of training with the boys and girls at St John's and they were all sending me their best.

"It's one of the perks coming from the country community and it's such a tight-knit bond and they're riding the wave as well."

Yeo will again start in the number 13 jersey for the Panthers in Sunday night's grand final.

The match against the Melbourne Storm at ANZ Stadium is scheduled to kick-off at 7.30pm.