Great news for the Panthers! Isaaah Yeo has been selected as the next coach of the team, with Nathan Cleary serving as the assistant coach.

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary made the surprising decision to release Sunia Turuva from the squad due to concerns that ongoing contract negotiations were affecting his focus. This decision came shortly after Turuva had signed a three-year contract with Wests Tigers, and he was subsequently left out of the Panthers’ 26-20 victory against North Queensland in Townsville.

In Turuva’s absence, Paul Alamoti, wearing jersey No.19, stepped up admirably, showcasing his capabilities by amassing 181 metres and scoring a crucial intercept try just before halftime. Cleary explained that Turuva’s absence was due to the distractions caused by his contract negotiations, which had been ongoing for several weeks. Recognizing the emotional toll such decisions can take on a young player, Cleary opted to give Turuva the night off.

Cleary expressed confidence in Alamoti’s performance, praising his efforts and highlighting areas for improvement. Despite the Cowboys’ dominance in possession and momentum, they were unable to capitalize on their advantages to secure a victory.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten expressed a mix of satisfaction and frustration with his team’s performance, emphasizing the need for improvement despite their close result.