Rumoured & Confirmed Signings (2025 Season)

[Black Panther]

Tagos contract was upgraded in 2024, a year after Crichton signed with the Dogs. Tago was the fallback option.

The club saw Tago and May as the next big things. Both were upgraded to the top 30 a few years back surprising many. The Tago upgrade was going to impact the Critta re signing, so really they prioritised the wrong guy according to many.

 

[Fangs]

All over now but hard to criticise the clubs recruitment. 5 straight grand finals says they did a pretty good job holding on to the right players.

Maybe Burton takes off as a half or centre here at Penrith. Luai was the one who stayed and reaped the rewards.

 

[Chins]

The club had too many plates spinning and got a bit greedy. Is what it is

 

[betcats]

How did we get greedy? you dont get to keep the cap money you dont spend. If they lowballed one player it was so they could give more money to another player, you have to spend it one way or another.

 

[Chins]

How did we get greedy? you dont get to keep the cap money you dont spend. If they lowballed one player it was so they could give more money to another player, you have to spend it one way or another.

We offered Luai and Critter contracts and then weren't happy they didn't accept them. Spread ourselves too thin

 

[betcats]

I know we lost a lot of players and I’d definitely change some decisions in hindsight but can you imagine if we kept even just some of those guys who left plus all the core guys we still have. Let’s say we still had kikau, critta, fish and api along with Nath, yeo, dyl, biz Marto and Leota. That’s a ridiculous team in 2025, if someone ran that out against us this year I’d think they are cheating for sure.

 

[Oldpanther86]

Wasn't the whole deal with Critta that he agreed to a deal with us before backing out unexpectedly? Ie, we thought we had him, and suddenly he's announced as a Dogs signing? Not much we could have done if true.

Burton is a different story. We chose Luai over Burton. Can argue the merits of that but hard to say definitively that was a mistake 4 rings deep.

That was the rumour. It coincided with him changing management if I remember correctly.

 

[betcats]

He extended after the handshake deal thing.

 

[West Nowra Panther]

Al this talk about who we could have, should have, maybe in hindsight, offered more to, they went for not much more, got fullback money, is very interesting and yet very much detracting from the club just abiding by the rules of the salary cap whilst at the same time dealing with the bottom feeding player agents.

For the life of me, after 5 straight GF appearances and four premierships, why the third party money is not pouring into Penrith like it does in Brisbane for those egomaniac pretenders.

This would go a long way to help keep our good ones.

 

[maple_69]

On the one hand its kinda disappointing a lot of these guys, a tight knit group since their teens, didn't take unders to stay together. But then, they achieved everything you could ever imagine together so why would they? They all have other things to chase. Critta has gone and been a hugely inspirational club captain and main man of a franchise. Luai is going down that same path. Fish is helping build the sport in his community which is amazing. Leniu went to the pinnacle and oh wait...

I think the biggest mistep in retrospect was the Tago & Leota deals. We grab a solid benchie like Mat Croker instead of Leota and who knows what we have to play with to keep one core guy that left. You never could have planned for May & Fish leaving abruptly though.

 

[age.s]

Tago definitely falls into the category of "there wasn't much we could do". Injury aside, he had been playing really well prior to his resigning to the point of being talked up as a smokey for Origin. If we'd lost him at that point he'd absolutely have been considered in the category of guys we shouldn't have let go, especially after losing Critta.

I actually don't think the club has made many huge blunders in the past few years. The entire system is designed to do exactly this to dynasty teams. We kept our biggest guns and bagged multiple additional premierships after losing guys like Api, Kikau, Critta etc. In hindsight there are a few moves we could of played better but if all we can use to critique the club is hindsight they probably haven't done too bad a job.

 

[betcats]

Tago definitely falls into the category of "there wasn't much we could do". Injury aside, he had been playing really well prior to his resigning to the point of being talked up as a smokey for Origin. If we'd lost him at that point he'd absolutely have been considered in the category of guys we shouldn't have let go, especially after losing Critta.

I actually don't think the club has made many huge blunders in the past few years. The entire system is designed to do exactly this to dynasty teams. We kept our biggest guns and bagged multiple additional premierships after losing guys like Api, Kikau, Critta etc. In hindsight there are a few moves we could of played better but if all we can use to critique the club is hindsight they probably haven't done too bad a job.

Exactly, some of these guys are bagging the club now for doing what they themselves wanted back then, no one wanted pay critta more, most people were saying he wasnt worth his current deal at the time let alone an upgrade. Some of the same people who think he wasnt worth more back then are now the biggest critics of the club for not keeping him.

At the time Critta left Tago was seen as a future star by everyone. No one wouldve been happy with us back then paying enough to keep Critta at the expense of losing tago. It hasnt worked out for us and we'd all love to change it, but not many were saying that back when the decisions were made

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Galvin about to be released, where do we think he'll end up?

 

[Fangs]

Galvin about to be released, where do we think he'll end up?

Parra. Dylan Brown will get a release to the Knights.

Not sure what the Tigers get though? Hefty transfer or player trade.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Parra. Dylan Brown will get a release to the Knights.

Not sure what the Tigers get though? Hefty transfer or player trade.

Matterson lollll

 

[Fangs]

Matterson lollll

Ha. Brooks>Tigers.

It could be a convoluted trade. Knights might give up a player to the Tigers. Or the Roosters (Chad Townsend).

The Roosters have been clearing the decks. All the attention on DCE and Joey Manu but who knows. Galvin probably doesn't fit their job description though.

Bulldogs are the outsider. They haven't re-signed Sexton beyond this year. But Hayward looks a talent and I could see him playing 7 from next year.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

Ha. Brooks>Tigers.

It could be a convoluted trade. Knights might give up a player to the Tigers. Or the Roosters (Chad Townsend).

The Roosters have been clearing the decks. All the attention on DCE and Joey Manu but who knows. Galvin probably doesn't fit their job description though.

Bulldogs are the outsider. They haven't re-signed Sexton beyond this year. But Hayward looks a talent and I could see him playing 7 from next year.

I dont think either of Gus or Politis f**k with his manager. So i dont think either of the clubs will look at him. Bulldogs maybe as i think Gus could be swayed. For all Gus has said about Galvin, i think he's said more about Hayward.

Galvin to Parra has to be the money.

 

[age.s]

Does Galvin improve Parra this year though? Brown has been going well with Moses back.

Big budget, multi club swaps like this often warp the market, allowing for savvy clubs to swoop in and nab a bargain. Hopefully we've got our ears firmly to the ground here.

 

[age.s]

Parra. Dylan Brown will get a release to the Knights.

Not sure what the Tigers get though? Hefty transfer or player trade.

Kai Pierce Paul.

Not saying it'd be a good trade mind you.

 

[Fangs]

Does Galvin improve Parra this year though? Brown has been going well with Moses back.

Big budget, multi club swaps like this often warp the market, allowing for savvy clubs to swoop in and nab a bargain. Hopefully we've got our ears firmly to the ground here.

Eels season is close to over. Likewise Newcastle. I don't think either team are hanging on for hope like Penrith are in 2025. Brown is leaving and so is Galvin. Why not fast track that? Both players get a head start on 2026.

As you say we should watch on closely. Might grab a bargain.

Kai Pierce Paul.

Not saying it'd be a good trade mind you.

Hands like feet.

If anyone can fix his handling and get him running with venom then he is worth it.