Penrith star James Tamou is excited by the prospect of locking horns with former club North Queensland for the first time and the possibility of playing in Johnathan Thurston's 300th NRL game.
Saturday's match against the Cowboys at 1300SMILES Stadium will take Tamou back to where he spent eight seasons and established himself as one of the code's elite forwards.
"I obviously spent a long part of my life up there and it's still a place I call part of me," Tamou said on Tuesday.
"So, excited to see everything and everyone and excited to mix it up with the boys up there that I grew close with."
It looms as a crucial contest for both clubs with the Cowboys entering the round in seventh, one place and two points above Penrith.
Provided 34-year-old Thurston comes through Wednesday's State of Origin game two unhurt, he will be in line to chalk up his NRL triple century three days later against Penrith.
It would also be a club record 271st game, taking him clear of former teammate Matthew Bowen.
Watching Thurston from a distance has give Tamou a different perspective of the lauded playmaker.
"You don't sort of realise how much of an influence he has on the game once you leave him." Tamou said.
"Obviously you're playing with him side by side, it comes natural with the things he does.
"But once you leave him and watch what he does, you really think 'wow, he is a special talent.'
'To be a part of his 300th is going to be awesome and they will look to turn it on for him and deservedly so."
The Panthers have surged up the ladder on the back of a four-game win streak, but Tamou isn't getting too excited.
'I don't think we can take too much out of that four weeks," Tamou said.
"We're still building and there will be a point in time there where everything will click but obviously it's still a long season.
"Then there will be times there where we wil be down and out, but thats rugby league and you just sort of have to take the highs and lows.
"But at the moment we're going alright and hopefully that can continue."
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