Premiership winner Chad Townsend has urged Blaize Talagi to step out of Nathan Cleary’s shadow in 2026 as the Penrith Panthers look to bounce back. Ivan Cleary’s men find themselves in an unfamiliar position this season considering they won’t be defending their NRL title for the first time in four years.
The exit of Jarome Luai in 2025 saw new recruit Talagi emerge as Cleary’s halves partner for the majority of the season. Talagi impressed throughout the campaign showcasing glimpses of his immense talent.
Cleary also missed a number of games last season through injury and State of Origin, which allowed Talagi to step-up in his absence. However, the young five-eighth did take a backseat throughout the backend of the season with Cleary guiding the team around the park.
This would be expected of a young playmaker to play second-fiddle with one of the game’s best players. But former NRL halfback Townsend feels Penrith need Talagi to come out of his shell in 2026 if they are going to improve.
Speaking on Wednesday, Townsend claimed Talagi should thrive playing alongside one of the game’s great halfbacks and take advantage of the attention Cleary receives from opposition teams. “I think he’s got great talent and he’s a good ball runner,” Townsend said on SEN Radio.
“I feel like he sits back a little bit and lets Nathan Cleary run the show. His next progression is to own his moments. We see the fantastic moments from Nathan consistently but I’d like to see some more moments from Blaize. That’s his challenge moving forward. Still relatively young in his career but he’s got a great opportunity in front of him. How many five-eighth’s get to play alongside one of the best halfbacks ever in the game?
“There will be opportunities that open up for Blaize because of the attention that Nathan gets. He needs to demand the ball and take control. That’s the next step for Blaize.”
Will the Penrith Panthers return to the top four?
Townsend feels Penrith will be back in the top four, after finishing seventh in 2025, with coach Cleary having learned a lot about his team in defeat. And a refreshed Penrith outfit could be a danger for the competition.
“Toby Crosby has impressed coaching staff with his work ethic during the gruelling Panthers pre-season so much that the hulking forward has had his contract upgraded,” Lang wrote.
The Panthers went down to eventual champions the Brisbane Broncos in 2025 ending their recent premiership stranglehold. Cleary’s men can make a statement early in the season with the Panthers to play the Broncos in round one.
