Penrith have extended the contract of young winger James Roberts for the next two NRL seasons, the club announced on Thursday.
The 20-year-old Roberts has been a mid-season revelation for 2013's surprise packets Penrith, scoring four tries in four games including a hat-trick in the round 17 thumping of Gold Coast in Darwin.
Roberts had been earmarked as one of the game's most promising youngsters when he debuted with South Sydney in 2011, before a series of off-field indiscretions threatened to derail his career.
But he has been praised by the Panthers, in particular club supremo Phil Gould, for turning his life around and has been rewarded by the club with a new contract that will keep him at the foot of the mountains for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Panthers general manager rugby league Phil Moss said in a statement: "James has become a very valuable member of the Panthers family since joining the club at the start of the year.
"He is an exciting talent and he is working hard to fulfil his potential as a consistent NRL player".
On his Twitter account Gould commented: "Congratulations to James Roberts on his new 2 year contract ... He has worked very hard .. His best days are ahead."
