Penrith Panthers lock down star through 2028 with massive new deal

Locking down Tago comes in the wake of several high-profile players leaving Penrith Panthers in recent years.  

Penrith Panthers centre Izack Tago is now one of the NRL’s highest paid players. The 21-year-old has just signed a new contract with Panthers. The new deal will run through the 2028 NRL season, and is worth $750,000 per year.  

Izack Tago signs new deal 

Izack Tago is one of the brightest young talents in the NRL. The Sydney-born centre scored 13 tries and earned 52 points for Panthers in his breakout season at the club last year.  
 
His current contract with Penrith was set to expire at the end of the 2025 season. Instead of letting run down, like the club have done with many of their stars, Panthers have tied Tago down to a massive new contract. The 21-year-old Tago has signed a new deal, which will keep him at Panthers until 2028. The new four-year deal is reportedly worth $3 million, which breaks down to $750,000 per season.  
 
“We’re excited to see another local junior committing his long-term future to the club, and we’re looking forward to seeing him remain in Panthers colours until at least the end of the 2028 season," Panthers General Manager of Rugby League Shane Elford said in a club statement. “We’re delighted that he has shown his commitment to the Panthers by re-signing with the club,” he also said. 
 
Tago said of his new deal, “I’m extremely happy to re-sign with the club. Even though I was already signed here for a couple of years, it’s great to lock in my future at my home club for another few years.” 
 
“Most of the team are Panthers juniors and we’ve all got a special relationship, so for me to stay here for as long as I can is something I’m excited about,” Tago said. 

Tago stays, Luai and others go 

Tago’s new deal is a well-needed sign of security at Panthers. The Penrith club have let a number of their star players leave over the years, so investing big in such a talented young player is a major win for Panthers.  
 
Players like Spencer Leniu, Stephen Crichton, and others have left the club when their contracts expired. More recently star five-eighth Jarome Luai confirmed that he will be leaving Panthers at the end of the 2024 NRL season, having agreed to a deal with Wests Tigers. 
 
Panthers are chasing a historic fourth straight Premiership win this season. The betting sites have them as favourites to get the job done, but the gap between themselves and the rest of the league is significantly tighter than in recent years.

Panthers started the 2024 NRL season with a devastating 8-0 loss against Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park. They will have the chance to set things right on Friday night against their Western Sydney Derby rivals, Parramatta Eels.