The National Rugby League club touched down in Port Macquarie for the first time since 2012 on Wednesday morning with temperatures hovering in the mid 30s.

It wasn’t too dissimilar to the conditions coach Anthony Griffin and his men have already been training in as they prepare for season 2017.

While Port Macquarie product Jeremy Latimore left the Penrith for premiers Cronulla in the off-season, Griffin said it was important for the Panthers to continue to give back to regional communities.

“We’re a development club so we’re always looking to develop juniors and we’ve got a big junior base ourselves,” he said.

“We understand there are future NRL players in regions like this, they’re heartland rugby league regions, so it’s very important we give something back to those communities we get players from.”

Griffin said the Panthers were not trying to compete with Newcastle who have ambitions of hope to be more active in the Mid North Coast.

“We’re not trying to compete with them, we’ve got an investment up here commercially and through that investment we do a lot for the community,” he said.

“We get something out of the community with that as well so it’s important we come up here and spend a couple of days giving back.”

Griffin was keeping his cards close to his chest when asked if there were any promising juniors to keep an eye on after the success of halfback Nathan Cleary who burst onto the scene in 2016.

“All of our squad has been training really well, I’ve been happy with most of them so I haven’t got anyone I really want to single out,” he said.

“As long as we don’t get any injuries before the start will be a success for me to start with.

“It’s a long, hard road, it’s a real marathon, but we’re not sitting here doing projections at the moment, we’re trying to get ready for round one.”