The club CEO has hit back amid staggering reports about the State of Origin winger.
The Penrith Panthers have hit back amid claims they’re willing to allow Brian To’o to speak with a ‘select’ few rival NRL clubs about potentially leaving the three-time defending premiers. There have been whispers in recent days that a high-profile Panthers player wants out of the club, and on Tuesday leading journalist Danny Weidler dropped a bombshell.
The Channel 9 reporter wrote on social media: “Select clubs have been informally asked if they have an interest in signing Panthers star winger Brian To’o.” The Samoan winger and NSW State of Origin star is signed with the Panthers until the end of the 2027 season, but it appears as though the club won’t stand in his way if he wants to leave.
However the Panthers later responded to the reports, denying them completely. “There is nothing going on with Brian To’o,” said club CEO Matt Cameron. “He is a vital part of our club and we are not shopping him around. He is here until 2027 and hopefully beyond.”
To’o has been pivotal in the Panthers’ winning three-straight premierships over the last three years, but has seen a number of his close mates leave the club due to salary cap pressure. To’o describes himself as ‘brothers’ with Stephen Crichton, Spencer Leniu and Jarome Luai, who will all be at other clubs by the time 2025 rolls around.
Which clubs would Panthers allow Brian To’o to speak with?
Crichton and Leniu are now at the Bulldogs and Roosters respectively, while Luai is joining the Wests Tigers next season. To’o has previously spoken of his heartache to see his great mates leave the Panthers, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Roosters, Bulldogs and Tigers are the ‘select’ clubs Penrith are willing to let To’o talk to.
“’Bizza’ (To’o) was the first person I told,” Crichton said last year about his decision to join the Bulldogs. “He and his partner were pretty emotional. I grew up with them and he’s been my best mate ever since footy started.
“It was pretty sad telling him. I told him first out of all the boys, but I’m just trying to lap it up with Bizza and our last few sessions together. We’re heaps tight. Just the bond that we’ve had and success that we’ve had brought us together.
“Just not on the field, but off the field it’s just always fun, always mucking around. Our families are pretty close, too. We go to the same church as well, so we’ve kind of been together ever since we were young. We’re not brothers by blood, but we are brothers by choice. If I don’t see him for three months, we can catch up one day and it’s like we’ve never been apart.”
Brian To’o’s close bond with former Panthers players
To’o said: “It was a bit of mixed emotions when he told me because I was happy for him, but I was also emotional that he was leaving. We’ve been in the system together for a very long time, and even off field he’s like a brother to me and someone that I look up to. To see him earn the rewards for his family by setting himself up for the next few years is great to see, but it does make me emotional because we’ve achieved a lot together.”
All four of To’o, Luai, Crichton and Leniu are Penrith juniors and played lower grades together. They have all played at NRL and international level together with the Panthers and Samoa, and this year were all in the victorious NSW State of Origin team.
Crichton previously said about Luai: “He’s kind of my best mate as well, so wherever he goes or stays, I’m happy with wherever he goes. I’d probably sit down with my parents and see what the best solution is to put him and his family in the right position. I’d tell him to not listen to the outside noise because I had that as well last year when I was moving. As long as he knows that his family is happy wherever he goes, that’s the best thing for him.”
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