That link was reaffirmed on Wednesday when three of Western’s most promising under 18s players were named in Penrith’s SG Ball squad.

The 25-strong under 18s squad was finalised mid-week following the final trial against Parramatta last Friday night, with Matt Bruton, Joey Hobby and Charlie Staines all earning places in the team.

Penrith’s affinity with Western players has always been there, but the relationship is now a full blown marriage, one Cameron says will go the distance.

“Over the last five years we’ve had a built-from-within policy,” Cameron said at the club’s Panthers Juniors Mini Camp.

“We’ve got six boys here, three in the 16s and three in the 18s, from our regional country squads.

“Again, although they’re not genuine locals, we look at that part of our program as an extension of what we’re doing and we class them as our players.”

All still 17, Hobby, Burton and Staines played key roles in Western winning last year’s under 18s country championship.

The year before that, 2016, the trio helped the Rams to the final of the under 16s championship, only to go down on the bell.