Penrith are confident there will be no teething issues when Taylan May prepares to return from more than a year on the sidelines in a new position.
After a breakout campaign on the wing in 2022, May injured his anterior cruciate ligament during last year's World Club Challenge and missed the most recent NRL season.
His replacement, Sunia Turuva, was crowned Dally M rookie of the year, leaving coach Ivan Cleary with a selection conundrum as the Panthers began laying plans for a fourth consecutive title.
May, off-contract at the season's end, has had an impressive pre-season.
"He came back fit," Turuva told AAP.
"He's been looking strong and fit. It's good to see him back. He killed it the season before."
May is expected to beat Paul Alamoti and Tyrone Peachey to replace Canterbury recruit Stephen Crichton at centre when Penrith face English champions Wigan in the World Club Challenge next weekend.
The Panthers lacked cohesion in attack, specifically on the edges, to begin 2023, experimenting with both Luke Garner and Zac Hosking as Viliame Kikau's replacement at second row.
But 22-year-old May's history has given Penrith confidence he will slot back in seamlessly.
"I think he played just about every position coming through grade, fullback, centre, wing, hooker," co-captain Nathan Cleary told AAP.
"He's really developing nicely at centre. We look forward to him having a big year and trying to help him out.
"It's so good to see him back on the field. Obviously tough year for him last year but he's looking fit, strong, fast again."
It has been a rare opportunity for Cleary to have a full pre-season himself; the halfback's last three off-seasons have been disrupted.
He travelled to the UK for Australia's triumphant World Cup campaign last summer, was out of action with a serious shoulder injury the pre-season before that and had State of Origin duties following the 2020 season.
But since recovering from a knee injury he sustained in the 2023 grand final defeat of Brisbane, Cleary has been able to focus his undivided attention on another premiership tilt.
"I've been full training. The knee is all sweet," he said.
"Especially coming off an injury, you sort of want to get a full pre-season in. I'm feeling really good."
