Penrith skipper Petero Civoniceva says his decision to stick with the club through the tough times has been vindicated by the Panthers reaching the finals after six years of failure.
Civoniceva left the Broncos for the mountains in 2008 and spent the next two Septembers watching his former club in the play-offs while Penrith embarked on their end-of-season holiday.
Given the option of returning home to Brisbane this year, the decorated front-rower instead decided to finish what he started and signed a new contract with Penrith taking him through to the end of the 2012 season.
While the Broncos have missed the finals for the first time since 1991, the second-placed Panthers will make their first appearance in the semis in six years when they host Canberra in the third qualifying final at CUA Stadium on Saturday night.
Civoniceva will be missing – he has a week to run on a two-match suspension – but takes immense satisfaction from the club's rise in 2010.
"That was one of the main reasons I decided to stay with Penrith," the 34-year-old prop said.
"The bond among the group is strong and there's a realisation we've got a good team in the making."
"As skipper I thought it was important to stay with the club and see it through and now we're seeing the rewards."
"We set ourselves some goals at the start of the season about what we wanted to achieve and we're on track."
"To finish second in what is a tough competition is a great achievement and there are some rewards that come with."
It could be argued playing a red-hot Canberra in the first week of the finals is no reward.
The Raiders have won eight of their last nine matches to storm into seventh spot and are playing an up-tempo game based around a big forward pack and speedy and skilful backs.
"I think they are the form side going into this semi-final series," Civoniceva declared.
"They are playing with a tremendous amount of confidence and playing with no fear."
"They've destroyed pretty much anyone they've come up against over the last couple of months and present huge challenges right across the park."
"They have the ability to throw anything at you."
In contrast, the Panthers developed the shakes late in the season before steadying with three straight wins.
It enabled Matt Elliott's men to clinch an all-important top two berth, meaning they will live to fight another day if beaten by Canberra.
"It hasn’t been the best of months but to take a couple of wins going into the semis have been very important for us," Civoniceva said.
"We get two bites at it but we'd rather get the job done on Saturday night."
"That gives you a week off and then all of a sudden you're playing for a spot in the grand final."