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The NRL development players for the Penrith Panthers for the 2024 season have been confirmed.
Riley Price, Preston Riki, Isaiah Iongi, and Luke Sommerton have all committed to the Panthers, which which the team is happy to announce.
Panthers Rugby League CEO Matt Cameron stated, “Luke, Isaiah, and Preston have been important players for the Panthers Pathways teams over the past couple of seasons, and it’s exciting to see them confirmed as development players in 2024.”
Riley’s decision to join the Panthers from the Cowboys excites us as a club as well, and we think he will succeed there.
Hooker Luke Sommerton, 23, signed a development contract in 2024 and made a commitment to the team.
The junior from Hills District Bulls played in the season’s final round matchup against the Cowboys, where he scored his first NRL try after making his NRL debut for the Panthers against the Sea Eagles in Round 24.
Sommerton offers tremendous depth to the NRL hooking ranks in 2024 and has proven to be a useful player for the club’s NSW Cup team this season.
Isaiah Iongi, who trained with the NRL team this season, will be a Panthers development player in 2024.
Iongi, who plays for the Queensland under-19 team, won the Panthers Jersey Flegg Player of the Year award in 2022.
This season, he has been a dependable player for the club’s NSW Cup squad, starting 24 games at fullback, scoring five tries, and providing assistance for another 18.
Preston Riki, a forward for the Panthers, will be eager and prepared to play next season after a few setbacks due to injuries in 2023.
The 25-year-old spent three seasons with the NSW Cup team of the New Zealand Warriors before joining the Panthers in 2022.
Riki participated in nine games for the NSW Cup team this season after representing the Maori All Stars earlier in the year.
In 2024, the Panthers will bring in 22-year-old forward Riley Price as a development player.
Price, who signed with the Cowboys in 2021, made his NRL debut this season against the Bulldogs in Round 5. Over the previous two seasons, Price has been a dependable player for the Townsville Blackhawks in the Queensland Cup.
