{"id":852160,"date":"2026-08-12T03:30:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T03:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/852160\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T03:30:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T03:30:17","slug":"nrl-2026-penrith-panthers-coach-ivan-cleary-reveals-tears-were-shed-over-brian-too-departure-backs-isaah-yeo-for-kangaroos-comeback-in-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/852160\/","title":{"rendered":"NRL 2026: Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary reveals tears were shed over Brian To\u2019o departure, backs Isaah Yeo for Kangaroos comeback in World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Adrian<\/p>\n

August 12, 2026 \u2014 11:27am<\/p>\n

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Penrith coach Ivan Cleary will have no issue if Isaah Yeo further delays pectoral surgery to captain the Kangaroos in the Rugby League World Cup, while admitting tears were shed over Brian To\u2019o\u2019s decision to leave the club.<\/p>\n

The Panthers have been at the forefront of much of league news this week: To\u2019o\u2019s decision to join the Papua New Guinea Chiefs<\/a> from 2028; Yeo opting not to go under the knife in a bid to return<\/a> for the finals; fullback Dylan Edwards being rated \u201ca chance\u201d to play the Roosters on Thursday; and uncertainty over five-eighth Jack Cogger\u2019s availability given his wife is heavily pregnant.<\/p>\n

\"PanthersPanthers coach Ivan Cleary.Louise Kennerley<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s the usual scuttlebutt about the list of soon-to-be off-contract stars, and whether they are any closer to deciding on their future. Cleary addressed it all during a 15-minute press conference on Thursday, on the eve of a Roosters clash that will have ramifications for both teams\u2019 ambitions of a top-two finish.<\/p>\n

Cleary is a phlegmatic figure who has watched plenty of his players leave. However, he admits emotions got the better of them when To\u2019o revealed he was heading to the Chiefs.<\/p>\n

\"BrianBrian To\u2019o will join the Chiefs in 2028.Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cThere would have been a few [tears], yes. Yeah, there were,\u201d Cleary said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a hard one for him. Hard one for him to tell all his mates and even family. There\u2019s been a fair bit on his plate lately, Bizz.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe probably feels a little bit lighter now. It\u2019s emotional, because these guys feel like family \u2026 It\u2019s very sad that Bizz is going to be going, but I\u2019ve had a few of those over the years, too. So, you\u2019ve got to move on. It is a business too, it\u2019ll all work out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleary said he was not certain about the best-case scenario for Yeo\u2019s return after he decided not to immediately go under the knife. Yeo is targeting a finals return, but will likely need a 12-week recovery when he eventually undergoes off-season surgery.<\/p>\n

\"IsaahIsaah Yeo is out injured for the Panthers.Getty Images<\/p>\n

Regardless, Cleary said Yeo \u201ccan do whatever he wants\u201d in relation to being available for the World Cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely, I mean, all our players, representative footy is part of the makeup of our game,\u201d Cleary said. \u201cThe World Cup doesn\u2019t come around every day. But, you know, he and we will make the right decision at the right time \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just going to have to wait and see how he recovers and how it goes over the next few weeks, and then we\u2019ll make a judgment there. If he starts playing again, then we\u2019ll make another judgment based on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleary said the decision to allow To\u2019o to make an early call on his future was designed to help the club lock down other off-contract stars.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Five<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is just the system we work in, so it\u2019s 365 days of the year, and we don\u2019t have any control over that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of work going on in the background, and yeah, we\u2019re very hopeful of having a few of them done. But you definitely don\u2019t want to be going into the finals doing this sort of stuff. So it\u2019s a real balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sources not authorised to speak publicly said centre Paul Alamoti was close to recommitting, with the club expected to ramp up talks with Yeo while he isn\u2019t playing.<\/p>\n

Cleary admitted clubs aren\u2019t able to compete financially with the tax-free dollars on offer from PNG.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not your average club,\u201d he said. \u201cIf players want to go there, then you can\u2019t compete.\u201d<\/p>\n

A philosophical Cleary added: \u201cI remember when I first played 35 years ago, my first coach [Marty Gurr] said to me \u2018rugby league isn\u2019t fair\u2019 and I think he was right.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked that out along the way. So, whether it\u2019s fair or not, that\u2019s what the game\u2019s gone with. I can understand it. If you\u2019re going to bring new clubs in, you\u2019ve got to make sure they work. Obviously, the PNG one is bigger than rugby league, so they\u2019ve got to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleary said he had \u201ccontingency plans\u201d, but said Edwards and Cogger were chances of taking on the in-form Roosters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve always got a blue-ribbon roster, plenty of stars in there,\u201d Cleary said of the Roosters.<\/p>\n

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