Tago puts self-doubt aside to repay the faith big time

Replacing Matt Burton was a tough ask for 20-year-old Izack Tago but the Panthers centre says shrugging off his own self-doubt was by far his biggest challenge this season.

Having cemented his spot as Ivan Cleary's first-choice left centre, Tago joins Mitch Kenny, Charlie Staines and Jaeman Salmon as first-time grand finalists in Sunday's showdown with the Eels.

In a stunning breakout season the Penrith junior has chalked up 13 tries, 15 line breaks and seven try assists in 25 matches - but Tago said it was only the faith of his coach and the support of his team-mates that enabled him to add his own strike power to the premiers’ attack in 2022.

“The club probably had more faith in me than I had in myself at the start of the season, so they’ve definitely helped me with having confidence in my own ability,” Tago told NRL.com.

“I know they were big shoes to fill but no one was really putting pressure on me. I was probably just putting pressure on me, but I knew I just had to just to try and do my best.

“When I first started in the NRL, I wouldn’t take risks or try any type of plays that weren’t in my role. But now I’m confident enough to play what's in front of me and I think the club has really helped me in getting there.

“If it’s on, the boys will back you with whatever you’re trying to do, and if things go wrong then I know they have my back out there.”

Playing every minute of every game, bar Round 25 when he was rested by Ivan Cleary, Tago has proved a worthy successor to 2021 Dally M Centre of the Year Burton.

“It’s been a lot of footy. At the start of the year, I was definitely feeling it a bit, but I’m getting used to it now,” Tago said.

“Around midway of the season, I think I was starting to feel the intensity of the game take a toll on my body for the first time.

“But I’m lucky I am still young and I could recover pretty quickly.

“The more minutes you’re on the field the more opportunities you get so I’m lucky I’ve played every minute of every game so far.”

Born and bred at the foot of the Blue Mountains in Kingswood, Tago has Panther pride coursing through his veins, and he can't wait to hit the field with his band of brothers on Sunday.

"I’ve been in Kingswood my whole life so I definitely feel proud of where I’m from,” he said.

“It just means the same to me as any other Western Sydney fan I think, I felt that rivalry in juniors and I still feel it now.

“Words can’t describe what a premiership would mean, it would just top off my year perfectly.”