But the Penrith Panthers co-captain has also been keeping an eye on the current COVID situation in his hometown Dubbo and the wider western area.

As the total number of cases in the Western NSW Local Health District (LHD) passed 600 on Tuesday, Yeo said it was tough for he and so many of the Panthers' other regional juniors to see the situation unfold from afar.

The St John's product and his teammates are currently based in Queensland in the NRL bubble but the side is doing all it can to put a smile on the faces of those doing it tough at the moment.

"You just hope the regional areas are going to be fine, especially Dubbo and Mudgee for me where I've got family. Selfishly you hope it's going to be fine," Yeo said to the Daily Liberal.

"It's hard to see so many cases out there, I've got grandparents in Dubbo that you worry about."

READ ALSO:

- Great 'Ace' honoured with Peter McDonald Premiership confirmed for 2022

- Paralympic star Leeson giving schoolmates 'the belief that anything is possible'

- Season might be over but Dubbo Junior AFL is still caring for its players

Yeo and a number of his Panthers teammates appeared in a video sent to Dubbo CYMS last week and it was shared around on social media.

The players involved, including NSW halfback Nathan Cleary, were doing all they could to promote the need to stay at home and follow all current guidelines.

"Just for us as a club with the western pathway it's about doing our bit, promotion- wise, and making sure everyone is staying healthy and safe," he said.

It hasn't been the easiest time for someone like Yeo, who had planned on spending more time at home in Penrith with his pregnant partner, Ash, following the mid-year State of Origin series.

But the COVID outbreak in Greater Sydney and the state as a whole forced the entire NRL competition north of the border.

It's meant isolation, two weeks of quarantine on the way up for his partner, and regular check-ins with the obstetrician over the phone and video.

But Yeo said he's still one of the fortunate ones.

"We can't complain. We've got it very lucky and our thoughts are with the people in lockdown. I can't imagine how hard that would be," Yeo said.

"We're fortunate enough to have an opportunity to still be working and hopefully putting a smile on the Sydneysiders' faces on the weekend and give them something to look forward to."

Life in the NRL bubble isn't all bad either.

Yeo and a handful of his teammates had been out together playing golf prior to Tuesday afternoon's media duties while a number of other players are regularly getting to the beach and improving their surfing skills.

Also making life that bit easier is the current feeling within the Panthers squad.

Last season's runners-up have again been a powerhouse of the competition this year and head into the final round level at the top of the ladder with the Melbourne Storm.

The Panthers meet western Sydney rivals Parramatta on Friday night before moving into the finals and Yeo said the excitement was building.

"As a group we're a very young team and regardless of whether you're young or old this time of the year is exciting for everyone," he said.

"It's extra special for some who might not have been here last year or were watching from afar, but they're a part of this now.

"It's an exciting time of the year. I think everyone in the squad has got a taste of first grade and handled it well so at the moment there's a really good feeling around the club."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: