Henry is one of six emerging talents in the Penrith Panthers system that have been invited to spend six weeks training with the extended NRL squad.

While Henry, a hard charging front rower, is excited to work under the guidance of premiership winning coach Ivan Cleary, for him there is another star Panther he is most eager to meet.

It's prop James Fisher-Harris.

The Kiwi native worked his way through Panthers' lower grades after being recruited to play SG Ball in 2013 and is now a key member of Penrith's pack in the NRL.

It is a path that 20-year-old Henry hopes he will take himself.

"I idolise Fisher-Harris, I love him, I reckon he's awesome. To be around him is going to be pretty cool and to see what he does personally is going to be awesome," Henry said.

"I'm pretty keen, it was awesome when they asked me, it's going to be a good experience.

"Just to see what they do and how everything works up in the top league is going to be a good experience."

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While training alongside the big names that carried Penrith to NRL glory this year will be a highlight of Henry's career thus far, his main aim is to cement spot in their 2022 NSW Cup outfit.

After a standout season with Blayney in a 2019 campaign that also saw Henry play for the under 18 Western Rams and earn NSW Country selection, he was signed up by Penrith.

However, he had to wait until 2021 to really experience what it was like to be a Panther.

"I moved down November 2019 and then in 2020 we only got one game in, it was a wash-out because of COVID," he said.

"I moved back home then and came back down November last year and this year I played in [Jersey] Flegg and a little bit of [NSW] Cup.

"The centre of excellence and the set up down there is just unreal to be a part of, they have an awesome junior system and great coaching staff."

Henry impressed this season and was offered a one-year deal for the 2022 NSW Rugby League season with the club.

Another Central West product in Bathurst's Adam Fearnley was given an extension too and that is something that motivates Henry. He know Penrith is keen to promote country talents - it was evident in their NRL squad this year.

"It's definitely a confidence booster when you see guys like Isaah Yeo and Charlie Staines, those guys here playing NRL," he said.

"Feanrz, I've played with Fearnz all through juniors, he's my age. It is nice to have a familiar face, there's some serious country boys in the team, it's awesome."

Henry's aim now is to get more game time in the NSW Cup in 2022 and to keep improving his game.

"Probably the biggest thing I've learned is they reward effort, so you've always got to be putting in and doing those little one percenters, effort on effort," he said. "You've got to train the way you play, training is everything, we really hook in. They are very professional around all that."

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