Penrith general manager Mick Leary has played down a training ground altercation which saw former Test lock Trent Waterhouse and young hooker Joel Romelo come to blows.

Waterhouse and under 20s hooker Romelo went toe-to-toe during an opposed session last week after Waterhouse reportedly took exception to a heavy tackle.

Panthers management claimed the incident wasn't out of the ordinary, adding that it was nothing like the one involving Carlton AFL player Setanta O'hAilpin earlier this month.

O'hAilpin's temper boiled over during an intra-club game when he punched and kicked team-mate Cameron Cloke.

"If it was something like that I would have taken some serious action," Leary said.

"There's been no action taken nor will there be, I don't think it's serious enough to warrant it.

"You've got to realise these blokes have been training for three months - it was an opposed session and the two players ran into each other and things sometimes get a little bit heated.

"These sorts of things, you expect to see them."

Reports indicated that while Waterhouse towered over the diminutive hooker, Romelo refused to take a backward step before teammates rushed to separate the pair.

Waterhouse will come off the bench in Saturday night's NRL trial against Parramatta, with Romelo to start the under 20s trial at hooker.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP