At just 20 years of age, Izack Tago has represented his Samoan heritage, won the Ben Alexander Rookie of the Year Award and cemented his role as starting centre in the NRL.
It was only last year that he was biding his time in the NSW Cup, carving up with 10 tries, four try assists, eight line-breaks and 12 offloads in just nine matches.
Now, he lives a reality that he could only dream of three years ago.
Tago appreciates that his teammates have boosted his overall confidence and playing ability but recognises that he still has to work for his place in the starting 13, given that there’s a pool of talented players coming through the Panthers pathway.
“I’ll put it down to the talent of the team, coming off the back of a premiership last year, we’re not short of talent at all here and everyone’s been helping me out along the way,” he said.
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“It’s been pretty cool just to secure that spot. I know my work is still cut out for me every week because there’s some good players in my position coming through the system, but that’s what makes it really exciting.”
The hardworking youngster is still coming to terms with being a household name, but he is happy to demonstrate that his age doesn’t restrict his overall success.
I know that a lot of young kids and people in the pathway look up to me so I’ve got a lot of responsibility, just to lead the way and show them that you can be young and still do the things you want to do.
Progressing through the Panthers pathway with Taylan May, Tago admits it’s been a blessing to have the opportunity to play alongside one of his best mates each week.
“It’s really special to get to play beside him. I always think about the fact that we went from playing together in the lower grades to playing NRL now,” he said.
“I’m excited to keep going throughout the year and get to play those bigger games alongside him and share that experience too.”
Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton have played a huge role in Tago’s career so far, offering him important advice on how to deal with the pressures of being a professional footballer.
“They’ve been reminding Tiny [May] and I, whoever’s in their position at the time, of our role, what we need to do and that we need to take accountability when it comes to doing everything the best we can, both on and off the field,” he said.
Last time the Panthers faced the South Sydney Rabbitohs back in Round 4, Tago scored one try and broke four tackles in the team’s 26-12 victory at BlueBet Stadium.
With the Round 23 fixture fast approaching, Tago points out that nothing has changed regarding team preparation ahead of Thursday night’s clash.
“This week is the same as every week. Every team has a group of talent, but obviously they’re [South Sydney] on fire at the moment.”
“We just need to make sure we’re ticking all the boxes throughout the week and come out on Thursday and do the job we’ve been preparing to do.”
