Brian To’o will be leaving the Penrith Panthers after the 2027 NRL season, telling the club that he won’t be taking up any extension offers after his impending contract expiry – and will likely join the PNG Chiefs expansion side.
The four-time championship winger is free to speak to other clubs from November 1 because he’s off contract after 2027, and while he hasn’t spoken to any Papua New Guinea representatives formally, it’s been reported by Zero Tackle that he wants to link up with his best friend Jarome Luai at the club for their final years playing rugby league.
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Luai became the #001 player for the Port Moresby club some weeks ago, and was largely touted at the time to be an influential signing because he could lure other champions to the expansion roster for their inaugural seasons.
Beyond Luai, the Chiefs have already tied down the game’s greatest ever tryscorer, Alex Johnston, and are expected to bring in Roosters utility Connor Watson to play hooker or lock in the first team list they’re compiling, too.
With Luai and To’o heading there, it may also mean that other off-contract Panthers will at least explore the idea. Zero Tackle has suggested that “Mitch Kenny and Liam Martin have entertained the idea of a PNG move.” Spine stars Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo are also off-contract at the same time and have said they’ll be testing free agency in November.
Much of this comes after head coach Ivan Cleary said he would be stepping down after 2027 – which, at the time, suggested to many in the NRL world this Panthers dynasty would be breaking up, at least in parts. Peter Wallace will be taking over.
Paul Alamoti, Moses Leota, Liam Martin, Isaiah Papali’i, and Blaize Talagi are others also off contract then.
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For To’o, it will end an incredible nine-year run in Penrith. He debuted with the club in 2019 after playing all through the junior grades alongside Luai and Cleary, and is widely regarded as one of the best wingers to have ever played. He was involved in all four NRL titles at the club and has played 144 games, scoring 95 tries through those matches.
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The 27-year-old has also become a key player for both New South Wales and Samoa, appearing in 15 State of Origin matches for 11 tries and playing 11 Tests for Samoa. He scored six tries for the Toa Samoa side in those appearances.
Across his career, he’s averaged 198 running metres and is a two-time Dally M winger.
