Trent Toelau, the Ingenious Half and Nathan Cleary Protégé, Dazzles in Commanding Panthers Performance

Although he ranks low in the halves hierarchy of the formidable Penrith Panthers, Trent Toelau took centre stage in the club’s iconic No.7 jersey at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night, showcasing his potential as a key player in the NRL’s future.

While Nathan Cleary and his star-studded teammates were enjoying some downtime in Las Vegas, Toelau piloted a reserve-grade Penrith team to a 38-22 victory against a more seasoned Manly Sea Eagles squad.

Cleary, Brad Schneider, Jack Cole, Blaize Talagi, and possibly Daine Laurie all sit ahead of Toelau in Penrith’s halves pecking order, yet the 25-year-old playmaker managed to score a try and assist two others with clever kicks, sending a reminder all the way to Sin City, roughly 12,000 kilometres away.

The former Victorian junior showcased his skills in the 27th minute, taking advantage of a defensive lapse to score on the right edge after a well-timed dummy.

Just eight minutes later, he displayed his creativity with a perfectly executed grubber that set up a try for left centre Tom Jenkins.

Toelau’s kicking talent continued to shine through in challenging wet conditions when he provided a superb cross-field kick to assist David Fale’s try on the right wing.

Fale played an essential role in Jenkins’ try as well, having intercepted a Sea Eagles pass and sprinted 50 metres downfield.

Toelau led the charge for the Panthers, securing a 22-4 advantage at half-time. Even as the Sea Eagles stirred up a comeback, pulling closer at 22-16, Penrith regrouped to clinch the victory, bouncing back from last week’s 22-16 pre-season defeat to Canberra.

In total, Toelau achieved an impressive tally of 340 kick metres and managed to break through five tackles during the match.

Last year, Panthers management demonstrated their confidence in Toelau by elevating him from a train-and-trial contract to an NRL development deal.

He is set to join Penrith’s top 30 roster in 2026, but already has 12 NRL appearances to his name, having come off the bench a dozen times last season.

Toelau acknowledged that some of the players who featured on Friday were “disappointed” about being left behind in Australia instead of heading to Las Vegas.

However, he valued the opportunity to learn from Cleary and expressed his desire to secure a regular spot in the NRL.

“He’s just amazing to watch at training every day. I tend to keep quiet while I observe him,” Toelau shared during the Fox League broadcast.

“Having the chance to learn from someone like him is incredible.

“… I’m aware I won’t be in the squad for round one, but I’m keen to work my way into the 17 in the future. I’ll keep delivering solid performances week in, week out, and hope for that opportunity.”