HE joined Penrith as a teenager who had excelled as five-eighth, but now after some seven years as a Panther Adam Fearnley has made the switch to the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles as a valuable utility.
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After two seasons where COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the amount of football Fearnley has been able to play, he decided it was time to make a change.
The former Bathurst Panthers junior wants to see regular game time in the NSW Cup and it is Blacktown who he feels offer him the best chance to do so.
"I was pretty open to anything, I just wanted to be in the NSW Cup and they came forward as an option. I went there and spoke to them and it seems like a really genuine pathway, so I'm looking forward to it," the 22-year-old said.
"I'm just looking to get some consistent footy in and a bit of a fresh start. Obviously Penrith had lot of good players there, they were pretty stacked up when they won the comp, so this might be a bit more opportunity.
"I signed with Penrith when I was 15 I think, so just a bit of a change now which I think will be good."
As Blacktown's NSW Cup side acts as the Manly Sea Eagles' reserve grade outfit, there is still plenty of competition for spots with players dropping back from the NRL.
But Fearnley has developed his game so that not only is he comfortable wearing the familiar number six jumper, but plenty of others as well.
"Because obviously they send different blokes back from first grade each week, there's plenty of opportunity the more positions I can play, that's why I've filled in a lot of different spots," he said.
"Normally I'm a five-eighth but I have developed the ability to play a few different spots and that only helps me when it comes to getting selected each week.
"It doesn't worry me heaps where I play, like if I play centre one week, then play five-eighth, play back row, I'm quite happy to play anywhere, I just want to play and hopefully push my name out there."
In season 2021, Fearnley got in 10 games before COVID-19 forced the season to be cancelled. Those games were mixed between the St Mary's Ron Massey outfit and Penrith's NSW Cup side.
That was after just one game in 2020 before COVID struck.
It is in the NSW Cup that Fearnley wants to be playing his football and while that means he will be pitted against rivals with NRL experience, he knows it is a challenge he can handle.
"I do feel comfortable there, I always sort of back myself that wherever I play I can make a difference. I've been trying to keep myself fit and strong, so I feel comfortable playing against those blokes," he said.
Should Fearnley do enough to impress in pre-season, there is the lure of possibly playing against his younger brother Brad - who is in the Panthers' NSW Cup squad - in round one.
"I think we might have Penrith round one, so it could be interesting if things fall into pace for both of us, we might end up playing against each other," Fearnley said.
"We played with each other this year against Newtown for Penrith, and we played 18s together, but I don't think we've ever played against each other, so that could be interesting."
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