Brian To’o has told Penrith officials he remains completely committed to the club, after he and the Panthers declared any concerns about his future had been put to bed.
To’o and his management met with Penrith CEO Matt Cameron on Thursday, amid suggestions the NSW State of Origin winger is unsettled at the Panthers.
But both sides walked away from the talks happy, with To’o taking to Instagram afterwards to reaffirm his commitment to the Panthers.
Brian To’o has broken his silence and shut down speculation he is leaving the Panthers before his contract runs out after reports he could be looking at a move away from Penrith. On Tuesday, reports emerged To’o was potentially keen to play footy elsewhere to chase a bigger payday at a rival club.
The speculation mounted after To’o had spent time with fellow representatives in the Blues camp during State of Origin last month. It was suggested To’o felt he could demand more money than his current $650,000 a year contract, which finishes at the end of the 2027 NRL season. To’o has watched friends Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai sign mega-deal contracts with rival clubs in recent years. And their boosted contracts may have prompted To’o to consider his worth.
To’o is considered by many as the best winger in the game due to the amount of work he gets through in an average NRL game. And with Blaize Talagi linked to the Panthers, after the Eels announced the youngster would be leaving, questions remained over To’o.
However, after 48 hours of speculation, To’o has moved to quell any reports he is leaving Penrith having taken to Instagram to address his fans. Posting a photo of DragonBall Z character Goku – To’o is an anime fan – the Penrith winger reaffirmed supporters he wasn’t leaving the reigning champions.
“Thanks for all the support fams. Nothing to see. Not going anywhere, no shopping here. Let’s get it,” he wrote in Instagram. The moves comes as Channel Nine reporter Danny Weidler claimed the winger’s manager was meeting with the Panthers on Wednesday. Weidler reported on Thursday the meeting went well and club officials addressed the winger’s ‘concerns’.
Before To’o shut down the reports, former Roosters player Braith Anasta argued the Panthers premiership winger could be worth more than $1 million a year on his next contract. “If he does move on, I know one club that could do with him and his mate (Jarome Luai) is going there next year, the Tigers,” Anasta said on Fox Sports’ NRL 360.
“And I would think that he’d be over a million-dollar player there or close to. He’s not only a winger, he’s like a front-rower. He’s not a risk or a gamble, that’s why he was the first picked for New South Wales because he is relentless, consistent and plays at an elite level every week. He’s a big reason as to why Penrith have been successful as long as they have.”
Penrith’s relief on To’o comes a day after the club snuck in to secure the signing of rising Parramatta star Blaize Talagi on a three-year deal.
That is unlikely to be announced until at least next week with the Eels opting against waiving the 10-day cooling off period.
