Brian To O Set To Leave Penrith For PNG Chiefs Move
Brian To o is expected to leave Penrith at the end of 2027. The winger and his camp will not be re-signing beyond that point, and he will be allowed to formally negotiate with rival clubs from November 1.
That leaves the Panthers facing another major roster decision around a player who has been central to their attack for years. To'o is on around $625,000 a year and arrives at the open market window with a preferred destination already emerging.
PNG Chiefs Target Brian To o
The PNG Chiefs are believed to be that destination. They are based in Port Moresby and will join the competition in 2028, with Jarome Luai already signed and set to exit the Wests Tigers at the end of 2027.
Alex Johnston has also signed with the Chiefs, while Connor Watson is likely to be the third player linked to the expansion side. Watson is expected to spend 2027 with the St George Illawarra Dragons before moving north.
Penrith Contract Pressure
Penrith’s squeeze does not stop with To'o. Tom Ale, Jack Cole, Kalani Going, Thomas Jenkins and Freddy Lussick are all off-contract at the end of 2026, while Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo have indicated they could test the open market from November 1.
Ivan Cleary has also said he will step down from head coaching at the end of 2027 and remain linked to the club in an advisory role. That timing adds another layer to a roster picture already built around multiple high-value decisions landing at once.
To o's Record For Penrith
To'o’s output explains why he remains such a central piece of the story. He has scored 95 NRL tries in 144 games for the Panthers since his debut.
He has also scored 11 tries in 15 matches for the NSW Blues and six tries in 11 matches for Samoa at international level. Earlier this year, he was named on the wing for the Blues ahead of Game 1 of the State of Origin series.
For Penrith, the practical timeline is now clear: formal rival talks open on November 1, the contract decision point lands at the end of 2027, and the club may have to plan for a roster without one of its most reliable finishers.
