The Penrith Panthers have reportedly handed hulking new recruit Toby Crosby a contract upgrade after impressing Ivan Cleary and the coaching staff during a tough pre-season. Cleary made a number of signings from the Warriors’ title winning NSW Cup side with 22-year-old Crosby one of them.
Crosby was on a train and trial deal with the Panthers, but was rumoured to have impressed the coaching staff when first joining with his work ethic. And this appears to have seen him earn a contract upgrade.
The Western Weekender reporter Peter Lang claimed the club have handed the towering forward a boosted deal with the 22-year-old on the verge of joining Cleary’s 30-man squad for the 2026 NRL season. “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.
“He is now only one step away from potentially securing a Top 30 NRL full time contract.” Panthers fans will be thrilled to hear the new recruits are making an impact with Lang also previously reporting the other signings were making inroads.
Ivan Cleary turns to new recruits in 2026
The Panthers system has been raided across the last few years with their dominance a result of their strong foundations. And with young juniors joining rival clubs, Cleary has also looked elsewhere with the NSW Cup and NRL State Championship winners a target.
Apart from Crosby, the Panthers also snapped up Tom Ale and Kalani Going from the Warriors. Lang previously revealed the talk coming out of the Panthers is the two have already impressed during a warm pre-season in Penrith.
Lang had already tipped the duo to play first grade in 2026 as the Panthers undergo a slight rebuild of their squad. “Word is new Panthers recruits Tom Ale and Kalani Going are training the house down in the Penrith heat. Expect them to play plenty of first grade in 2026,” the reporter wrote on social media.
Twenty-two year-old TOBY CROSBY has impressed coaching staff with his work ethic during the gruelling Panthers pre-season so much so that the hulking forward has had his contract upgraded from a ‘Train and Trial’ deal to a Developmental Contract.
He is now only one step away… pic.twitter.com/HjphnjcDRI— Peter Lang (@PeterVLang) January 10, 2026
Going is a lock, but also played in the second-row for the Warriors’ NSW Cup side throughout the season. Going is extremely unlikely to dislodge NSW and Australian lock Isaah Yeo, but he could feature off the bench as a versatile interchange.
The Panthers went down to eventual champions the Brisbane Broncos in 2025 ending their recent premiership stranglehold. Although Cleary will be keen to reignite their dynasty with a number of fresh faces tipped to make an impact throughout the season.
