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September 22, 2026 \u2014 3:15pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Isaah Yeo feared his season was over after he ruptured his pectoral muscle <\/a>but wants to delay surgery to lead Australia in the World Cup, and is hopeful of closing in on a multi-year contract extension with the Panthers.<\/p>\n Yeo is also backing Nathan Cleary to overcome a foot injury and play for the Panthers in their seventh straight preliminary final on Sunday against Newcastle.<\/p>\n While all eyes are on Cleary\u2019s fitness ahead of the Accor Stadium clash, Yeo\u2019sinjury comeback will become one of the stories of the season if he leads to Panthers to a fifth title in six years.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old ruptured his pec making a tackle against the New Zealand Warriors at the start of August, and initially feared his premiership and World Cup dreams were over.<\/p>\n The recovery time after pectoral surgery is 10 weeks at minimum, but Yeo opted to rehab the injury and returned in the round 27 clash against Wests Tigers just four weeks later without painkillers. He says he is playing in the knowledge that the injury \u201ccan\u2019t get worse\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was sore for that little split second when it happened, and when I got down in the sheds I went, \u2018Actually, maybe it\u2019s not too bad\u2019,\u201d Yeo said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cBut then it had no strength; it didn\u2019t feel great. I didn\u2019t think it was going to be a good outcome. I thought I\u2019d be missing an opportunity to be a part of the special big games for the club, and the World Cup as well.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was all running through my head, which I think is natural. There were even negative [thoughts] after the scan and initial conversations with the doctors.<\/p>\n \u201cBut before I went to book the surgery, the surgeon said, \u2018We have a four-week window to see how it settles down\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought it would be mad not to. It already felt like my season was up in flames, so why would you not give yourself a chance? Since then, it\u2019s given me nothing but confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Yeo always wanted to test his right pec in the final club game against the Tigers, rather than break down in week one of the finals and \u201ccruel us with a [unnecessary] sub\u201d.<\/p>\n He made 26 tackles against the Tigers, then 22 tackles in the qualifying final win against the Roosters. He didn\u2019t miss a tackle in either match.<\/p>\n Yeo joked the club had been excellent at keeping injury information top secret until he read this masthead\u2019s report about the full extent of his injury<\/a>.<\/p>\n When asked to confirm the report, Yeo said: \u201cIt is the pec major, whatever that one is. The main one. If you\u2019re going to do it, you might as well do it properly.\u201d<\/p>\n Not only does Yeo want to spearhead Penrith\u2019s drive towards a fifth premiership in six years, he also knows what a wonderful opportunity he has to lead Australia to a World Cup on home soil. Provided he receives the club\u2019s blessing, and his form warrants selection \u2013 he will be the first player picked by coach Kevin Walters \u2013 Yeo intends to play in green and gold.<\/p>\n As for striking a new deal with Penrith, the club\u2019s most-capped player at 285 games is eager to stretch his career until the end of 2030, just before he turns 36.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been pretty lucky with injuries, and I\u2019d like to think that plays in my favour, but two or three [years] would be nice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all looking really positive, but we\u2019ve probably just popped it on the back burner until the season\u2019s done.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, my preference is to stay. I said [players will test their market value] at the start of the year because I thought it made sense for the club.<\/p>\n \u201cSince then, we\u2019ve figured out what [coach] Ivan [Cleary] is doing, and the plan moving forward with \u2018Wal\u2019 [Peter Wallace] stepping in.\u201d<\/p>\n As for convincing good friend Nathan Cleary to also stay, Yeo said: \u201cThere have been no pacts. We obviously have talked about it contract-wise. I\u2019m sure you\u2019d love to be a fly on the wall in some of those discussions.<\/p>\n![\"Penrith\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/29434142fe98009b5a3e2ef338004a493e4949fd.jpeg\")
Penrith\u2019s Isaah Yeo speaks to the media on Tuesday.Wolter Peeters<\/p>\n![\"Penrith](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3f8a0e54ebabde8e2790ddbde0353cf9aff85901.jpeg\")
Penrith Panthers lock Isaah Yeo on Tuesday.Wolter Peeters<\/p>\n![\"Isaah](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3b3e597fb8ad742843e399ee6958c67cea0c6bae.jpeg\")
Isaah Yeo during his return from injury against Wests Tigers.NRL Photos<\/p>\n
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