He's always been a fan favourite, and it was no different in 2022 as Brian To'o impressed on and off the field.
From buying his parents a family home to helping the Panthers to back-to-back premierships and Samoa to the World Cup final, "Bizza" dazzled once again this year.
For the Panthers, he tallied 18 appearances, in which he scored 13 tries and averaged over 200 run metres a game.
It wasn't all smooth sailing for the international winger, though, as he missed six games early in the season with a knee injury.
And he was faced with the challenge in the finals campaign of switching from the right to left wing to cover for Taylan May's injury. He excelled in the new position, scoring the game-changing try in the preliminary final against South Sydney before bagging a four-pointer in the decider against Parramatta.
His stunning 2022 campaign continued after the premiership as Samoa reached the World Cup Final against Australia, with To'o bagging five tries across the tournament.
Best of Bizza in 2022
STAT ATTACK
Appearances – 18
Tries – 13
Line-breaks – 13
Tackle breaks – 80
Run metres – 3667 (avg. 203)
Tackles made – 106
Tackle efficiency – 87.6%
GALLERY
See all the best photos from Bizza's 2022 season.
2022 ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2022 NRL Premiership winner
- NRL Grand Final try
- Rugby League World Cup appearance for Samoa
- Rugby League World Cup runner-up
- Three State of Origin appearances for NSW
BEST TRY
it was the try that flipped the preliminary final on its head. With the Panthers trailing by six with a minute remaining in the first half-time, To'o produced arguably the greatest try of his career to level the scores against the Rabbitohs.
Skill, speed and power from To'o
WHAT WAS SAID
The State of Origin representative had the tough decision to make on whether he would pledge his allegiance to Australia or Samoa for the World Cup. After much thought, To'o chose to represent his family's country of origin.
Most definitely I'll be playing in the World Cup, and I'm going to be putting on the red and blue jersey of Samoa. I'm fully committed to Samoa. It would mean the world for me to put on the jersey and it's a massive opportunity to play for Australia, but heart is everything to me and my people and my family means more. I'll definitely play for my family.
Brian To'o
SOCIAL SCENE
Brian To'o gave his parents the ultimate gift when he purchased them a house earlier this year. It was a way to thank them for everything they have done for him over the years.
