Less than a year on from his move to Penrith to train with the Panthers, Forbes' Charlie Staines is getting noticed.
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Having begun the season in the Jersey Flegg under 20s competition, Staines has been promoted to the Canterbury Cup, the competition just one tier under the NRL.
He's now played five games for the Panthers at that level, and has a good chance of seeing out the season in his preferred position of fullback following injury to regular Caleb Aitkin.
The Panthers sit in third position in the competition with two regular rounds to go - and have a good chance of featuring well into the finals series.
Staines has made a sensational start to his first full-time season in the city, he remains the Jersey Flegg competition's top try-scorer even after several weeks playing up a grade.
And it all came together for the 18-year-old last Sunday, when the Panthers came from behind to defeat Wests Magpies 24-18 in their Canterbury Cup clash and the Forbes product was named Man of the Match.
Staines was scintillating for the Panthers with a try, 261 running metres and two line breaks that led to tries, a feature story on the Panthers website says.
You can watch the match highlights online and he features heavily.
Panthers were down 12-10 when Staines made a 50-metre break and his team capitalised.
After making that breakthrough, he scored a try himself in the 68th minute.
Charlie plays alongside Matty Burton from Dubbo CYMS who just made his NRL debut.
The two boys have played a lot of footy together in Western Rams, Country and last year's successful SG Ball season.
Billy Burns from Parkes and Kaide Ellis from Dubbo also are fellow teammates in the Panthers Canterbury Cup squad.
This time last year Staines was a member of the all-conquering U18s and first Grade Forbes Magpie sides which went on to win the Group 11 Premierships.
It was certainly was a great launching pad for the young player's upcoming season and his hopes of a future in the NRL.
Now watching from Penrith, he wishes the Forbes boys well in the Group 11 semi's.
This Sunday, you can watch Charlie as the Panthers take on the Bears from 1pm on Gem 9.