He has played in an NRL grand final before but Sunday night's game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs has extra meaning for Isaah Yeo.
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The Dubbo junior and Penrith co-captain Yeo along with Nathan Cleary will lead out the Panthers as the attempt to win the club's first premiership since 2003.
Yeo admitted leading the Panthers was something not just special for himself and Cleary but both their families as well who are heavily involved in rugby league.
"It is," he said.
"It's something myself and Nathan are very proud of.
"Obviously we are a very close-knit families and it's something they are very proud of as well both the Yeos and the Clearys."
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The Panthers have been a standout side all year and after finishing the regular season in second spot Yeo feels there isn't any need to change the way he or his side prepares for Sunday's decider.
"It's an absolute honour," he said.
"I don't think much changes with how we've sort of performed throughout the season.
"You just go out and try lead from example."
After a heartbreaking loss to Melbourne in last year's grand final, Yeo feels the still youthful Panthers will be better from the experience of playing in big games since then.
Yeo was one of the break-out stars of 2020 winning the Daily M Lock of the Year and has not slowed down this year, taking his game to another level.
The Penrith lock started in that position for Brad Fittler's NSW State of Origin side in all three games throughout 2021.
Many of his teammates also featured in the Origin arena.
"I think overall the experience helps," Yeo said.
"Not just the grand final itself but getting to that point last year.
"I think as a group there is players who have played in big games since then as well with Origins and things like that, which helps as well.
"It's just the fact we are such an inexperienced side, an extra year of first grade under your belt helped us."
While he feels his side is well-placed, Yeo is all too aware his side needs to be at its best in the biggest game of the year.
"You had to win big games to get to that grand final last year," he said.
"As much we didn't perform like we would've liked it, we definitely got better with this experience.
"I feel like that holds us in good stead but you've still got to go out there and perform on the weekend.
"I feel like we are in a better spot than we were last year in terms of that experience."
Penrith and Souths have met three times this season, the first of those in Dubbo back in round 11 in May.
However, since then the Rabbitohs have been a different side and lost just once in the following six months.
That sole defeat came against the Panthers but Souths then got revenge in week one of the finals earlier this month winning 16-10 before defeating Manly in their preliminary final last weekend.
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