Moments after starring in the Panthers' win over Wests Tigers on Sunday, there was further evidence of the rare character that is this long-striding league player from Forster.

"I'm just hanging in there," Idris said in an interview with Triple M, asked about how he was dealing with the personal issues that led him to take some time out of the game. "You do what you've got to do. I don't go too bad for a schizophrenic."

The final remark did to the interviewer, Gorden Tallis, what he does to plenty of defences. Left him without an answer. It is understood Idris was making a light-hearted comment, not announcing a diagnosis, with that line to Tallis, and in what seemed a self-deprecating way.

Earlier, after he had scored a try in the second half, he did the cuckoo sign, which was captured by Channel Nine cameras.

Idris made his NRL return a week ago against the Warriors after sitting out close to a month, having sought professional help following a weekend away on the Gold Coast while the club had the bye in late May.

He has sworn off alcohol since stepping away for a time from the game.

"I'm the happiest when I'm on the field," he said. "I just try and live off that at the moment and that just keeps me up there. As long as I can stay out on the field I'll stay happy."

His powerful performance gave the Tigers headaches all afternoon and he agreed that a permanent switch to the forward pack may not be too far away.

"I don't think I'll be too much longer in the centres," Idris said. "I'm starting to slow up. This old body ... I'm 24 today, so I'm getting old."

Whether Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has that intention in the immediate future is unclear but he is obviously pleased to have such an imposing figure back in his line-up after missing him for two matches.

Cleary was not getting carried away about Idris' recovery but said recent developments had been positive.

"It's a day-to-day process," Cleary said. "He's made some changes to his life. It's not easy. But he's doing well. Football is good for him and when he plays well obviously that's good for him as well. But we're not getting ahead of ourselves there either. We're just chugging along and taking it as it comes."