Penrith youngster Brian To’o was admitted to hospital during the Panthers’ pre-season camp after he passed out through dehydration and concussed himself.

The Samoa international, 21, was taking part in a Panthers training session.

The winger was running down a hill with a sandbag before the Christmas break when he passed out due to dehydration. As he fell, the sandbag hit the back of his head.

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Round 19

He then spent two days in hospital as doctors monitored his heart and ensured there was no lasting damage to his kidneys.

“I thought I had died when I was in the hospital and I was like, ‘what am I doing here?’,” To’o told The Sun-Herald. “Even when I say Wanda now, it gets me every time.

“It was a Friday session, it was the last session of the week, and we went over to Wanda on a hot day.

Penrith Panthers player Brian To'o at his family home in Whalan. Source: News Corp Australia

“I was the last player in my team and as I was bringing the sandbag down, I started to feel a bit dazed and went cross-eyed. The next minute I remember waking up and all the boys were pouring water on me.

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“Something like that had never happened to me before. It was confusing.

“I was taken to Sutherland Hospital, they put me on an oxygen machine and kept me there for two days. I was rattled and struggled to keep my eyes open.

“Because I was on a drip and my heart was being monitored, I couldn’t shower until the doctor gave me the tick. So for two days every time they went to take my temperature, I’d end up covered in sand and sand would end up all over the sheets.

“All I wanted was a shower. The sand kept reminding me of Wanda. I’m actually scared just to look at sand now.”

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To’o who scored nine tries in his debut season along with making his international bow also picked up a scar during training above his eye.

“That’s from all the wrestling with the boys,” he added. “All the boys are jealous of how handsome I am. They get pretty brutal.”