Penrith have snapped up three young halves from rival NRL clubs in recent weeks.
The Penrith Panthers have signed another talented young playmaker from a rival club’s pathways system in a sign they could be preparing for life without Nathan Cleary. The four-time defending champs have signed 18-year-old halfback Elijah Birve, continuing a recent poaching raid on rival clubs.
On the back of signing fellow playmakers Keahn Skipps from the Raiders and Haami Loza from the Knights, the Panthers have now snared Birve from the Sunshine Coast Falcons in Queensland. The Falcons are an affiliate of the Melbourne Storm, and the club acts as one of the Storm’s reserve-grade teams.
That will change next year when the Storm will get their own official reserve-grade team to play in NSW Cup, opening the door for the Falcons to become an affiliate of one of the Queensland NRL teams. But the Panthers have got in before the change and snapped up Birve on a two-year deal until the end of 2027.
Birve was selected in the Queensland Under-18s schoolboys team this year and is expected to start the 2026 season in the Panthers’ SG Ball Cup side (Under 19s). With Birve, Skipps and Loza all signed, the Panthers appear to be stock-piling talented young playmakers.
Panthers planning for prospect of Nathan Cleary leaving?
They also have Trent Toelau and Jack Cole under contract, while Blaize Talagi has found his feet as the NRL team’s five-eighth this year. But the continued signings of playmakers has raised questions amongst Panthers fans about what it means for Cleary’s future.
The superstar halfback is under contract until the end of 2027, and the Panthers are desperate to extend him even longer. But there’s been constant speculation that his future might lie elsewhere.
Rumours have been rife that Cleary might look to move closer to girlfriend Mary Fowler, who spends the majority of her year in the UK with club team Manchester City. Cleary has been linked with a move to the Super League, as well as European rugby. He’s so far denied all the rumours, although he recently admitted he’d be open to playing union.
Panthers signing adds to concerns of Des Hasler
Penrith’s signing of Birve will come as a dagger to the Broncos, Titans and Dolphins. Although the Sunshine Coast Falcons or in the Melbourne Storm system, that will change next year and allow the Queensland NRL clubs to sign more talent from the Sunshine Coast.
Titans coach Des Hasler recently called on Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin to help the club stave off poaching raids of rival clubs. “I think the south east of Queensland particularly, it’s still untapped but it’s not going to stay like that for much longer,” Hasler told the Courier Mail.
“That’s started now and there is the advent of Perth (Bears) coming in. I believe that we’ve got to do more in that junior pathways area. I think the QRL can really help.
“The fact that we go through to Mal Meninga (under-18s Cup) and then the 21s then drops off. We need to do more for the development of youth across the board in the QRL. But that’s just my view on it.”
The Panthers are going through somewhat of a roster shake-up. Brad Schneider (Dolphins), Mavrik Geyer (Tigers) and Asu Kepaoa (Knights) have already signed elsewhere for 2026, while fellow fringe first-graders Daine Laurie, Luke Sommerton, Preston Riki, Harry Hassett and Soni Luke are all believed to be looking for new clubs as well.
