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Stephen Crichton has credited Canterbury recruit Zane Tetevano as the man who revolutionised Penrith's training practices in their super-charged 2020 campaign.
With the pair reunited at Belmore, new captain Crichton will task Tetevano with leading a similar makeover - and hope the Bulldogs can take inspiration from the Cook Islands international's off-field resilience.
The Bulldogs signed Tetevano to a one-year deal on Thursday, ending the prop's search for an NRL lifeline after three seasons with Leeds in the Super League.
The 33-year-old last played NRL for the Panthers in 2020, as the side began a period of premiership dominance by losing only one game en route to the grand final.
Then playing his first full season in the top grade, Crichton remembers premiership winner Tetevano as the most intense player around Penrith training in a year of astronomical growth.
"We called him 'The Minister'," Crichton told AAP.
"We'd do training sessions that were meant to be touch, and he'd start tackling.
"We're trying to practice plays and stuff, and he starts tackling the boys or starts bumping the boys off.
"He'd start telling the boys off, 'If you're going to (just) touch each other, you're only going to touch each other on the field'.
"He was probably the reason why we trained so hard that year."
Tetevano will add much-needed starch to a Bulldogs middle rotation that underperformed last season and has since lost Luke Thompson, Tevita Pangai Jr and Franklin Pele.
His ability to build a positive culture also shapes as important; the Bulldogs' methods were under scrutiny late last year when a young player was made to repeatedly wrestle teammates for being late to a training session.
Tetevano's life experience could add the most value of all, though.
While at Leeds last season, the Cook Islands international suffered a stroke at training and was taken to hospital, where he later underwent heart surgery.
Tetevano spoke about his bumpy road back to the NRL when he addressed the playing group earlier this week.
"The boys got a lot out of it," Crichton said.
"Especially the things that he's been through in his personal life - being told he wasn't allowed to play anymore.
"Just to turn that around and now being back in the NRL, the boys will get a lot out of him."
As the Bulldogs look to make a comeback of their own from seven years out of the finals, they will look to Tetevano as proof nothing is impossible.
"He said, 'Just don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything'," Crichton said.
"When things get tough, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel."
With the pair reunited at Belmore, new captain Crichton will task Tetevano with leading a similar makeover - and hope the Bulldogs can take inspiration from the Cook Islands international's off-field resilience.
The Bulldogs signed Tetevano to a one-year deal on Thursday, ending the prop's search for an NRL lifeline after three seasons with Leeds in the Super League.
The 33-year-old last played NRL for the Panthers in 2020, as the side began a period of premiership dominance by losing only one game en route to the grand final.
Then playing his first full season in the top grade, Crichton remembers premiership winner Tetevano as the most intense player around Penrith training in a year of astronomical growth.
"We called him 'The Minister'," Crichton told AAP.
"We'd do training sessions that were meant to be touch, and he'd start tackling.
"We're trying to practice plays and stuff, and he starts tackling the boys or starts bumping the boys off.
"He'd start telling the boys off, 'If you're going to (just) touch each other, you're only going to touch each other on the field'.
"He was probably the reason why we trained so hard that year."
Tetevano will add much-needed starch to a Bulldogs middle rotation that underperformed last season and has since lost Luke Thompson, Tevita Pangai Jr and Franklin Pele.
His ability to build a positive culture also shapes as important; the Bulldogs' methods were under scrutiny late last year when a young player was made to repeatedly wrestle teammates for being late to a training session.
Tetevano's life experience could add the most value of all, though.
While at Leeds last season, the Cook Islands international suffered a stroke at training and was taken to hospital, where he later underwent heart surgery.
Tetevano spoke about his bumpy road back to the NRL when he addressed the playing group earlier this week.
"The boys got a lot out of it," Crichton said.
"Especially the things that he's been through in his personal life - being told he wasn't allowed to play anymore.
"Just to turn that around and now being back in the NRL, the boys will get a lot out of him."
As the Bulldogs look to make a comeback of their own from seven years out of the finals, they will look to Tetevano as proof nothing is impossible.
"He said, 'Just don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything'," Crichton said.
"When things get tough, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel."
