Penrith Panthers is delighted to announce Brent Naden has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the club.

The new deal means the 23-year-old centre will remain with Panthers until at least the end of the 2021 season.

“It’s so exciting to get an opportunity like this and to know I’ll be calling Penrith home for the next few years,” Naden said.

“Rugby league moves quickly. It wasn’t too long ago I figured the ship had sailed on my chances of playing in the NRL.

“Then I had a bit of a wake-up call when my brother (Brock) came to Sydney to play footy but ended up moving back home.

“I asked myself, ‘How can I expect my brother to chase his dreams if I’m not out there chasing mine?’.

“Now I’ve been given a shot, I can’t wait to get out on the field and repay Panthers for the faith they’ve shown in me.”

The best of Naden so far

Hailing from Wellington in central west NSW, Naden first joined Panthers as a member of the club’s SG Ball squad in 2013.

He captained the Panthers NYC side to a premiership in 2015 but later departed the club to pursue opportunities at Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights.

Naden returned to Panthers on a part-time contract ahead of the 2019 season and made his long-awaited NRL debut in Round 12 against Manly.

“As a club we are thrilled to see Brent rewarded with a contract extension,” Panthers General Manager Rugby League Matt Cameron said.

“He has worked incredibly hard this season to progress from the part-time squad to the development list, and then to establish himself on the club’s top 30 list.

“Brent embodies many of the traits we value here at Panthers and we look forward to watching his game develop over the years ahead.”