Penrith Panthers winger Brian To'o is expected to leave the club at the end of 2027, with his camp not planning to re-sign beyond that point. From November 1, he will be free to formally negotiate with rival clubs, and the PNG Chiefs are believed to be his preferred landing spot.
The move would bring to an end one of the most productive wing careers in the club’s modern era. To'o has scored 95 NRL tries in 144 games for Penrith, along with 11 tries in 15 matches for NSW and six tries in 11 internationals for Samoa. He is also named on the wing for the Blues ahead of Game 1 of this year’s State of Origin series.
Penrith told Zero Tackle that To'o remains contracted until the end of 2027 and said the club had no official comment to make on the matter. But the broader picture around the Panthers points to a major reshuffle over the next two seasons, with coach Ivan Cleary confirming he will step down from the top job at the end of 2027 before staying linked to the club in an advisory role.
The timing matters because the Panthers are heading toward an enormous contract squeeze at the end of 2027, when a long list of senior players are also due to come off deal. Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Paul Alamoti, Sione Fonua, Mitch Kenny, Moses Leota, Liam Martin, Isaiah Papali'i, Luron Patea, Billy Scott and Blaize Talagi are all among those listed, while Tom Ale, Jack Cole, Kalani Going, Thomas Jenkins and Freddy Lussick are off-contract at the end of 2026. The report says Kenny and Martin have entertained the idea of a PNG move, while Cleary and Yeo have indicated they could test the open market from November 1.
For the PNG Chiefs, To'o would be another headline signing in a team being built for entry into the competition in 2028. The Chiefs have already signed Jarome Luai, who will leave the Wests Tigers at the end of 2027, and Alex Johnston has also joined the club. Connor Watson is likely to be player No. 3, with the expectation he will spend 2027 with St George Illawarra before heading north. For Penrith, the message is plain: the end of 2027 is starting to look less like the close of a premiership cycle and more like the moment a core era breaks apart.
