Adam Fearnley offered a scholarship by Penrith Panthers

HIS father John might hold the bragging rights as far as rugby league careers go in his immediate family, but Bathurst Panthers junior Adam Fearnley is on track to emulate the former Parramatta and Souths forward.

The youngster has been given a scholarship with NRL club the Penrith Panthers that will see him regularly training with the club over the next few years.

It is a huge step in the right direction for a player who is still only 15. He has three years of school left before he potentially makes the step up into what he hopes will be a spot in the club’s Holden Cup squad.

“Earlier this year I went down to Penrith and took part in a trial for the Harold Matthews [under 16s] squad, it wasn’t really something I did to try and get into the squad itself,” the son of this year’s Bathurst Panthers Group 10 premier league coach said.

“It was more about trying to see where I was at with my football and a chance to compare myself to other players my age and see how I was going.  There was no intention to stay down there or move away.

“The club got in touch with the bloke who has been managing me and organised for a two-year scholarship.

“It basically means I train with them twice a month and do some work with a few of the first graders from time to time.”

Unlike his father, Adam Fearnley – who’s younger brother Brad is also already a representative player – is a ball player who alternates between five-eighth and lock.

Having been around the sport for the entirety of his life, there is nothing he would rather do than make a career out of it. However, he is realistic about what has to happen first.

“It is a really good opportunity for me now to do something with my football, I’d love to end up in the NRL,” he said.

“I’ve always been around it, so it is a natural thing to want to do. I’m still going to finish school first though, I’m only in Year Nine, so I’ve got a while to go yet.

“After that the next step is to try and get a Holden Cup spot. I just love playing the game.

“It was a pretty good year for me on the field, we [Panthers] had a good season though we were defeated by Orange CYMS in the grand final.

“One of the players from that side, Toby Westcott, is also on a similar scholarship to the one I’m on, so it is good to have someone that I know who is doing the same thing.”