“I’ll be a nobody after next Saturday night,” said Penrith legend Steve Carter, whose long-standing club record of 243 games will finally be surpassed by Yeo.
Fittingly, Yeo happens to be Carter’s favorite player, adding a special touch to the milestone moment.
Carter plans to travel from Moonee Beach, near Coffs Harbour, to Sydney for the preliminary final and to celebrate Yeo’s milestone. “I couldn’t think of a better player or person to break the record,” Carter says. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—he’s my favorite player, and he still is. He’s only gotten better.”
Carter will be joined by his children and six grandchildren for the occasion. “It will be nice for them to see that Pop did all right back in the day,” he added.
When Carter retired in 2001, Panthers legend Royce Simmons spoke at his testimonial, noting how Carter, originally from Wyong on the Central Coast, grew alongside the city of Penrith.
“I remember Royce using the analogy of how I was like Penrith, which was a bush town when I first arrived in the late 1980s, but a city by the time I retired,” Carter says.
“You could say the same thing about Isaah. He’s also come from the bush, but grown, matured and developed like Penrith itself.
“Once upon a time we were westies who were frowned upon by the people on Phillip St [the NSW Rugby League’s old headquarters].
“Now you can go anywhere in Australia, or even around the world, and chances are you will see a Penrith jersey.”
Yeo moves to the top of the Penrith pile, which includes 1991 premiership winner Carter, Craig Gower (238), Simmons (237), Greg Alexander (228), Luke Lewis (208), Brad Izzard (206), Ryan Girdler (204) and New Zealand Warriors-bound front-rower James Fisher-Harris (200).
Yeo received a text message from former Penrith supremo Phil Gould when he drew level with Carter last Friday night after the big qualifying-final win over the Sydney Roosters.
“‘Gus’ flicked me a message to say congratulations for tying with Steve, and told me how Steve and I were similar players,” Yeo says.
“I was only seven when Steve retired, but Gus described him as a wonderful player and ultra competitor. I’ve always heard about Steve being that ultra competitor, so any time you can be associated with someone like that at your club, it’s pretty special.”
When told about Carter’s claims he would become a forgotten man after Yeo set a new mark, the co-captain said: “I don’t know about that. And if that’s the case, I’ll be forgotten when Nathan Cleary eventually goes past me.”
The difference between Yeo’s good games and bad games is almost non-existent. His professionalism is reflected in his durability. While he has given his all in the middle for his club, state and country every year, he’s had an unbelievable run with injuries during the past four seasons.
Apart from his debut season in 2014, and 2019, Yeo has played a minimum 20 games each year. Being September regulars of late has helped accelerate his games tally.
Yeo often doubles as the extra playmaker at Penrith, especially when Cleary is injured, or what coach and father Ivan Cleary prefers to describe as his son’s “annual sabbaticals”.
“I’ve heard a few times I’ve been running the ball more this year, but I only play what’s in front of me,” Yeo says.
“Often you’ll get teams spreading their shape a bit, whether they’re putting more men on Nathan if he is on one side, or out the back of something, so that means teams get a bit wider through the middle.
“I’ve played a lot of games now where I know to pick my moments.
“I try to help ‘Romy’ [Luai] when I can when Nath is out. But he’s [Luai] been great this year. He’s become more of that traditional No.7, which is why the Wests Tigers signed him and saw that in him last year.”
Yeo, 29, is grateful to have been a one-club player. South Sydney showed brief interest around the time he was struggling with a shoulder injury in 2019, but only viewed him as a back-rower, not a middle forward.
“I’m a country fella [from Dubbo], I’m introverted, so Penrith suits me to the ground,” Yeo says. “I would have struggled playing for any other Sydney club. Penrith is also as close to home as I can get.
“Sometimes things just fall into place. Penrith has been that for me.
“My next contract is up in 2027. I’ll be 32 then. I wouldn’t close any door, but I do love Penrith, and I’d like to work here once footy is done. It would have to be something to do with footy because I don’t have much interest in anything else.
The Panthers, after a weekend off, return to action knowing they are just two wins away from a fourth straight title. What once seemed like an overwhelming challenge at the start of pre-season now feels more achievable.
With Cleary getting more time to recover from his shoulder issue and Dylan Edwards on the verge of reaching 150 NRL games, the Panthers are in strong form. Their first-half performance against the Roosters was comparable to NSW’s effort in the second State of Origin game at the MCG.
A significant motivation for the Panthers is to give departing players, including Luai and Fisher-Harris, a fitting send-off, a driving force that might be underestimated by outsiders. “The desire to play for the boys who are leaving, and to be the best version of ourselves, is something we’ve excelled at in recent years,” Yeo added.
“Even if we have to climb Everest again, we know how to keep each other accountable. We’ve got several players moving on, but Romy and Fish, who have shaped our culture, have been with us from the start. Fish was our standout player in 2019, and Romy’s presence since joining the first grade has been key to our success. We want to send them off in style—they’ve earned it.”
Yeo also joked about the running family gag, where his father Justin, who was just 18 when Isaah was born, is said to look younger than his son. Known for his sense of humor, Yeo once requested Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train” be played at BlueBet Stadium if he ever scored. “I haven’t aged well—my nose gets more crooked every year, and my hairline keeps receding,” Yeo said with a laugh. Despite this, he’s ready for the challenge ahead, aiming to add another chapter to both his and Penrith’s remarkable story.
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