The talented St Pat's junior has been named in the train-on squad and while he was in the team for the 2021 season, he knows that doesn't necessarily guarantee himself a spot in the Panthers team for 2022.

"I'm not sure about my chances for this season," he said.

"Obviously I was in the team last year but a lot of the younger boys coming up from Harold Matthews had a really good year. It'll be tough to make it this year, for sure."

The SG Ball Cup is traditionally for under 18s players but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NSWRL decided to up the age to under 19s, meaning Belfanti can still compete for the team.

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For now, Belfanti is training hard by himself in hope that he will get the nod once again for the team.

"I'm doing a bit of stuff at home and a bit of stuff at the field by myself," he said.

"That's pretty much all I can do right now, train by myself and hold myself accountable."

He's hoping to find out if he made it into the SG Ball Cup squad sometime around the end of the year.

"I think it's right before Christmas or just after, when they announce the teams," he said.

"Last year, it was meant to be just before Christmas, but because of COVID it got pushed back a bit. I'm not too sure what they're doing with it this year."

During the 2021 Harold Matthews Cup season, the Penrith Panthers fell one game short of making the grand final.

Due to the team's success, Belfanti is expecting a number of those players to rise up to the SG Ball Cup team, making competition for spot in the second row a bigger challenge.

"There's a couple boys from last year - Justin Warwick and Lachlan Blackburn - that play in the second row," he said.

"I'm not too sure about the younger blokes but I imagine there'll be a few in that position.

"It's a big challenge playing in SG Ball. There's big value because you learn a lot from last season, so I'm hoping to learn a lot from this season."

Belfanti played in last year's SG Ball Cup alongside fellow St Pat's junior Ash Cosgrove, who predominately played on the wing.

Panthers finished the 2021 season in 10^th, well behind a finals position, having last won the competition back in the 2018 following a 25-14 win over the Canterbury Bulldogs.

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