The head coach of the Penrith Panthers, Ivan Cleary, has confirmed that a counter offer was extended to Brian To'o, acknowledging that the proposition from the PNG Chiefs is "hard to match."
This week, it was announced that To'o has officially signed with the PNG Chiefs, securing his position there from 2028 to 2030, thus concluding his tenure with the Panthers.
As one of the top wingers in rugby, To'o will enjoy a considerable increase in his earnings due to the tax incentives available in Port Moresby. Cleary stated to the press on Wednesday, "Of course we wanted him to stay, but I think everyone knows with the Chiefs it's hard to match [what they have to offer]."
He elaborated, "No. It's more that it's not your average club, but if players want to go there, then you can't compete with them."
Cleary conceded that while the Panthers are achieving success, the departure of players is an unfortunate consequence of that success.
"We'd like to think so. We run a pretty good program here and the boys all know that, but the evidence is there. Enough players have had to leave, or chosen to leave and that's the tax you have to pay for success," he remarked.
As he prepares to transition to a backroom role at the end of 2027, with Petert Wallace taking over coaching duties, Cleary explained that allowing To'o to negotiate ahead of time was intended to provide clarity for the team as they approach the finals.
"I can't really remember why [we gave the window to negotiate], but we had enough evidence that it was a possibility, so we just wanted to get it done," he added.