IF IT appeared Lachlan Coote knew every blade of grass in his memorable debut at CUA Stadium last weekend - that's because he does.

When he isn't tormenting opposition defences on his team's home ground, he is preparing the same ground in his day job as an apprentice greenkeeper.

While fame and fortune in the NRL beckon, the local junior has been mowing the grass and marking the lines for his Penrith teammates for less than $300 a week.

"He's a good worker. Within two weeks he knew the difference between monocot and dicot [seeds], which impressed us," joked head groundsman Nathan Meyer-Gleaves.

Coote has a habit of making good first impressions. Not only did he win the man-of-the-match award in his first NRL game against the Brisbane last week, at the age of 16 he beat the likes of Michael Jennings and Luke Rooney to smash the club's all-time record for a multi-stage fitness run.

"It's different to the beep test, it's more game-specific," said assistant strength and conditioning coach Matt Ryan. "To finish, it takes 21 minutes and Lachlan is up to level 89 of 100 levels. The next nearest to him is somewhere in the 70s."

Coote said his greenkeeper gig ensured any football success wouldn't go to his head. "It makes you actually want to play football and you don't take it for granted. There are a lot of people working their arses off and we're doing something that we love," he said.

Dubbed "Ron Coote" by his Panthers teammates, the NSW under-18s star admitted he didn't know if he was related to the former Souths and Easts legend. He's also unsure of his best position, having debuted at fullback and been picked on the wing for the clash with Parramatta today, where he is likely to mark Jarryd Hayne.

Rival clubs have been circling after his eye-catching debut, but the Windsor Wolves junior will remain a Panther for at least another two years.

"It's good to stay here, it's my local club and I don't really want to move away," he said. "I'm pretty happy where I am at the moment."