Rising Penrith star Bryce Cartwright is only 20-years-old himself but must be feeling like a grizzled veteran with all the injuries that continue to plague the Panthers club.

The talented forward praised his young team-mates after going down to South Sydney on Sunday 20-16.

“The younger boys that have come in this year have had to play more games than they probably should have in their first year in the NRL but they’re doing themselves and the team proud,” Cartwright told nrl.com.

“We make our mistakes, us young fellas, but the old fellas get behind us and same from us to them.

“Everyone’s not giving up, we’ve still got a lot of faith and it’s good to see the younger fellas coming through and to be playing with them as well.”