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Penrith winger Brian To'o has revealed how a love of martial arts movies led him to rugby league and has inspired his NRL approach.

Rugby league has Jackie Chan to thank for Brian To'o and could also help explain the extraordinary healing powers of the Penrith winger ahead of the NRL finals.

The broad-smiling Panther scored his first career hat-trick in Friday's final round against Parramatta, his second game back after missing just four games following surgery to fix a serious ankle injury for the second-straight year.

His return came a week earlier than even the club's best-case scenario and with the 23-year-old now fit and firing, Penrith are flying into Saturday's clash with South Sydney.

To'o credits his faith and prayer for those fast healing powers, while teammate Jarome Luai laughed that the secret could be the "worst diet in NRL history".

But both men and Panthers head of performance Hayden Knowles agreed his love of martial arts movies had plenty to do with it.

"When I was young I used to watch a lot of Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Bruce Lee movies and that is kind of what got me into getting the physicality to play footy," To'o said.

"I was at the fields and I was just demonstrating a few kicks. My older brother's coaches were asking me if I wanted to come and tackle a few bags, and that is how I started my footy career."

Knowles has taken it to another level, gifting To'o a T-shirt that reads 'Be Water' in a nod to Lee's philosophy.

"No-one can really break him," Knowles said of To'o.

"He's mentally tough ... if things are going badly in any form of his life he has an ability to stay happy.

"There is a toughness about staying grateful and happy that brings a lot of positive energy to everyone else.

"He loves Bruce Lee ... there is a famous interview Bruce Lee does, where he says 'be like water'.

"Water can flow or it can crash. And he flows. There is a lot of Bizza about that Bruce Lee interview."

To'o said his parents' influence had rubbed off on his on-field demeanour.

"I just have this happy mentality and am always smiling and having fun," he said.

"Being out there with the boys helps me to stay calm, be positive and smile through everything.

"It comes naturally ... I am just out there sharing the love."

Coach Ivan Cleary is in no doubt of the impact his early return has had on the side, who are "still stinging" according to To'o after last season's grand final loss to Melbourne.

"He's just amazing ... did it (returned) a week early and not just came back, but looked like he'd never been out," Cleary said.

"It's remarkable; we have players that can bring the best out of other people, like Jarome and Bizza, and that's contagious."