Rumoured & Confirmed Signings (2025 Season)

[Oldpanther86]

I'd take Brett Naden before Staines.
Can cover Fullback, Centre and Wing is tall and decent under the high ball.
Certainly better than Casey or Jenkins 2025.

He was definitely athletic but looks slow and kinda not there mentally at the moment.

 

[Copperhead]

But who would they give us in return and who we even want?

Who would they give us? Probably no one we need. Who would we want? Tallyn Da Silva, Terrell May, Fonua Pole, either Samuela or Sione Fainu. Hell, given how well Kepeoa was going in Cup, they should give us any two of them.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

I'd take Brett Naden before Staines.
Can cover Fullback, Centre and Wing is tall and decent under the high ball.
Certainly better than Casey or Jenkins 2025.

The guy will never wear a Panthers jersey for Penrith again after what he did in 2020..

 

[Munky]

Naden played in a winning finals game in 2021 for us.

That said he can be pretty poor in his defensive reads and makes silly errors and caught out of position in attack.

Staines has hammys that Tommy Turbo would be sad about. He never opened up again in a Panthers jersey after out sprinting JAC in early 2021. He seemed a good reader of the attack when defending but lacked the physicality to make the tackle.

 

[Hairy Hamburger]

How about the Panthers make a play for the Raiders Tom Starling.
We really need some more creativity out of dummy half. At present we are so predictable.
Starling and Kenny combo. Starling has been impressive in 2025.
2026 I see no Suni Luke or Luke Sommerton on the books.
Spot either being held for a Junior or we spend some cap money.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Matto had such a shit 'Me First' attitude that it imploded the entire Eel's culture and their season post Grand Final.

He was THAT toxic. I would not risk having such a dude in the squad just to pump up the numbers in 1 relatively unimportant position.

Really? Do you really think the reason the Eels were shit in 2023 was because Matterson was suspended for the first few games?

As I recall he thought he would only miss trials, but then the league said ‘na-uh’ after he had put in his plea.

He is obviously a guy who chases the pay day, but this is his career so can’t fault him for that. If he trains hard and gives 100% on the field, and isn’t a criminal or @sshole off it (a la the stuff Taylan did), then he is welcome as a Panther as far as I am concerned.

 

[Sime_11]

Jacob Liddle would be handy as well - knows how to find the try line often for a 14.

Staines would be a backward step IMO - defensively solid but offers little in attack and we never take advantage of players with speed - he just got monstered in tackles and pushed back - may as well give Kepaoa the role and keep him

 

[Hooked]

How about the Panthers make a play for the Raiders Tom Starling.
We really need some more creativity out of dummy half. At present we are so predictable.
Starling and Kenny combo. Starling has been impressive in 2025.
2026 I see no Suni Luke or Luke Sommerton on the books.
Spot either being held for a Junior or we spend some cap money.

Billy Scott is the next hooker coming through. He will join the top 30 next season. Definitely being groomed for FG. Good strong defender. Has a nice kicking game.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

At 250k for half a season young would be a great pick up. Speed and an aerial target. Something we havent had in years.

Hed walk straight into the 17.

Edwards
Too
Tago
Alamonti
Young

Looks way better then what we have atm.

I love how Alamoti goes with the ball, but an edge of Alamoti and Young would be easily the worst defensively in the competition…

 

[ColdWetPanther]

There is a lot of money tied up in Nathan, Yeo, Martin, To’o and Dyl. They are all champions but not playing to their pay packets or reputations at present.

Without moving them on the squad can’t be refreshed externally. It’s a fair conversation to have, but my view would be the last 8 weeks have been an anomaly given a much longer trend and to ride with it.

Having said that, I have said for a few years that I think To’o’s style would see him regress at some point; always been concerned about his knees. I thought it would happen before now though, so what do I know. I also think with Dyl’s energiser bunny style the decline could come rapidly as well. So in terms of value, if we did want to consider moving people on then maybe To’o.

Having said that, for all the issues the team has at present, I think the major one to my eye has been the lack of punch we get in the first few tackles. Alamoti carries strongly, but we seem to be missing To’o (who wouldn’t) but also Tito; I think his carries out of our end were very under-rated.

 

[IcemanCleary]

At 250k for half a season young would be a great pick up. Speed and an aerial target. Something we havent had in years.

Hed walk straight into the 17.

Edwards
Too
Tago
Alamonti
Young

Looks way better then what we have atm.

I said it before and I'll say it again penrith should be signing israel leota. Just look at his stat's in hostplus cup, he has penrith style written all over him

 

[Luke Bowden]

How about the Panthers make a play for the Raiders Tom Starling.
We really need some more creativity out of dummy half. At present we are so predictable.
Starling and Kenny combo. Starling has been impressive in 2025.
2026 I see no Suni Luke or Luke Sommerton on the books.
Spot either being held for a Junior or we spend some cap money.

Great shout.
I think he’s a knob of a human, but he’s playing good footy

 

[age.s]

Jacob Liddle would be a gun signing. Probably the most underrated hooker and/or player in the comp. How he is unsigned for 26 is beyond me.

 

[Oldpanther86]

Jacob Liddle would be handy as well - knows how to find the try line often for a 14.

Staines would be a backward step IMO - defensively solid but offers little in attack and we never take advantage of players with speed - he just got monstered in tackles and pushed back - may as well give Kepaoa the role and keep him

That's really not true for Staines last year here. He learned to stop being dominated on his runs. Also we're talking a back up who'll play reserve grade. It's not like Kepaoa is the nrl winger.

 

[Oldpanther86]

Jacob Liddle would be a gun signing. Probably the most underrated hooker and/or player in the comp. How he is unsigned for 26 is beyond me.

I'd never hear the end of it his brother is one of my daughter's high school teachers.

 

[Black Panther]

There is a lot of money tied up in Nathan, Yeo, Martin, To’o and Dyl. They are all champions but not playing to their pay packets or reputations at present.

Without moving them on the squad can’t be refreshed externally. It’s a fair conversation to have, but my view would be the last 8 weeks have been an anomaly given a much longer trend and to ride with it.

Having said that, I have said for a few years that I think To’o’s style would see him regress at some point; always been concerned about his knees. I thought it would happen before now though, so what do I know. I also think with Dyl’s energiser bunny style the decline could come rapidly as well. So in terms of value, if we did want to consider moving people on then maybe To’o.

Having said that, for all the issues the team has at present, I think the major one to my eye has been the lack of punch we get in the first few tackles. Alamoti carries strongly, but we seem to be missing To’o (who wouldn’t) but also Tito; I think his carries out of our end were very under-rated.

Of all the players you mentioned, To’o would be the lowest paid. So hardly a good decision value wise.

 

[Bred not Bought]

Still think Spencer might come back. It hasn't gone well at the pinnacle for him and he never was a fit for them.

 

[BossleyPanther]

Pearce-Paul?

 

[Whino]

Is he injured ATM?

He played 3 games in NSW Cup (2@ FB) before getting injured. Been out the last 5 weeks. Not sure what the injury was.

He is back this week in First grade, as a late call up.

 

[John Hamblin]

Pearce-Paul?

Could be good in the right system but probably too expensive. Having said that his form this year has been piss poor( pun intended)