When Luke Lewis and Trent Waterhouse burst onto the representative scene at the start of the decade, it only seemed a question of how many NSW jumpers the Penrith pair would collect by the end of their careers.

Riding the wave which propelled Penrith to the 2003 premiership triumph, Waterhouse and Lewis both earned trips on the Kangaroo tour with sky blue Origin jumpers coming their way the following year.

But as the Panthers dropped away, so did the representative recognition, that 2004 Origin series still the only one for either local junior.

Now on the back of Penrith's early season resurgence, which continued with Saturday night's stunning 42-22 win over Wests Tigers, Lewis and Waterhouse are again staking their claim.

Waterhouse's bust to set up Michael Jennings' 28th minute try was the stuff of yesteryear, and it's the sort of football he's been producing throughout the opening month of the 2009 season.

"It's been a while now but it's something I definitely want to do again," Waterhouse said of representative football.

"In the back of your mind you're always hungry to get there, once you've had a taste you're always hungry to have more.

"I've mainly been concentrating on getting back playing good footy for the Panthers and that stuff (representative football) just comes."

Asked if he thought he was playing as well as when he played ten Tests and two Origin games, Waterhouse said:

"It's hard to compare but I'd like to think so," he said.

"I'm pretty happy with my form. I've just got to keep doing it every week I suppose."

His task to break back into the rep scene isn't helped by the plethora of good backrowers running around in the NRL.

Last year's Australian combination of Paul Gallen, Anthony Laffranchi and Glenn Stewart are all New South Welshmen, along with fellow World Cup squad members Craig Fitzgibbon and Anthony Tupou.

Then there's the likes of Ryan Hoffman, Nathan Hindmarsh, Andrew Ryan and Chris Heighington, and it's easy to see why Waterhouse has his work cut out for him.

Lewis's predicament is even tougher given he hasn't really nailed down a permanent position at the Panthers.

Against the Tigers he played five-eighth, halfback and lock, while he was used on the wing and in the centres when he played for NSW back in 2004.

While he would no doubt love the opportunity to pull on another sky blue jumper, Lewis said he was relishing his roving role with the Panthers.

"I really enjoy that sort of football," Lewis said.

"The last couple of years I've been stuck out in the centres or on the wing, but last year and this year, moving around, I've really been enjoying it.

"I don't worry about footy I just go out and play."

His absence due a knock to the sternum midway through the second half against the Tigers was telling, the visitors roaring back into the game to lock it up at 22-all.

But when Lewis returned, so too did the Panthers, a fact not lost on his teammates.

"I'm just glad that we did get away with the win tonight," Lewis said.

"The boys did say that they missed me out there so that was a real honour for me."

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