NRL: Once was Warrior - but now it's great being at Penrith

Elijah Taylor's goal is to set a good example at Penrith - just as he tried to do in Auckland. Photo / Getty Images

After leaving the Warriors at the end of last season, workaholic back-rower Elijah Taylor has settled in comfortably at Penrith and has no regrets about leaving New Zealand for a new challenge.

Taylor has plenty to be happy about. He has been in top form, and his Panthers side have won nine of their 13 games and are in second spot on the NRL ladder.

"I'm very happy with the move," he said. "I made the decision and it was good to get out of my comfort zone and be challenged.

"I gave it my all when I was wearing a Warriors jumper and representing the club and I don't have any regrets."

The ease with which Taylor slotted into his new environment came as no surprise to his former Warriors mentor Ivan Cleary - now coaching the Panthers - who persuaded his young charge to follow him to Australia.

"He's always been a very professional kind of guy," Cleary said. "I never expected any real drama and if he's had any you wouldn't know it. He's been really good for us and has fitted in really well with the team, and certainly he's a big part of any success we have.

"You wouldn't know that he's been here six months or so. Credit to him, really, for how he's adapted, and he just looks like he's been here for five years so it's been a really smooth transition in terms of playing."

Taylor concedes he was nervous about how he would be received by his new teammates after having called Mt Smart Stadium home for six years throughout his rise from the under-20s (2008-2010) and into first grade football (2011), but his fears were quickly allayed.

"It was different, I won't lie. I was pretty nervous on my first day at training, like your first day at school. But there's some great blokes in the team and some funny characters and a good mix of old heads and some youth coming through.

"There's players in the middle of their careers, some experienced halves and there's a good chemistry and I suppose it's showing on the field."

Cleary's instructions were simple and direct, mostly involving Taylor's renown work ethic and ability to set a good example.

"He just wanted me to be myself. Be the person that does his extras, that works hard, that stays behind longer at training, and surely that stuff will rub off on the younger boys, that's what he emphasised."

His transition was helped by having some familiar faces around - former Warriors Lewis Brown, Jeremy Latimore and Isaac John, and Kiwis teammates Sam McKendry, Dean Whare and Sika Manu are also at Penrith.

In fact, Taylor feels so at home in Penrith that he's been able to put the Warriors almost completely out of his mind.

"I don't follow them as closely as people might think. My job's here at Penrith and I'm focused on that. They've been going really well lately and defensively you can see them working hard for each other.

"I keep in touch with most of the boys. I've got some great friends and some brothers for life in that team, so it will be a good challenge to play against some old faces and good friends. I'm sure they'll be going 100 per cent and so will I."