Panthers outside back Tom Jenkins’ incredible journey from unemployed to NRL in three weeks

From Penrith to the Knights, to St Marys and back at the Panthers, it’s been a wild year for Tom Jenkins, who bet on himself and won. Here’s how he made it back to first grade in just three weeks.

Tom Jenkins bet on himself and won.

Within the space of 12 months he joined Newcastle, played five NRL games, then walked away from his contract to train with a Ron Massey Cup side, signed a one-year development deal with Penrith and then replaced Australian fullback Dylan Edwards in a grand final rematch.

His head is still spinning.

Incredibly, his audition to fill in for Edwards in last week’s loss to Melbourne was a 20-minute stint as HIA cover at fullback in a NSW Cup game a week earlier.

It was his only experience playing in a senior game in years, but after the rollercoaster of the past few months he’s going along with the ride, this week named at centre to face South Sydney.

Speaking for the first time since leaving the Knights and forcing his way back into the Panthers’ NRL side, Jenkins has opened up on why he walked away from security in Newcastle with no promises.

In the space of three weeks, Thomas Jenkins went from signing a one-year development deal with the Panthers, to playing first grade. Picture: Getty Images

LEAVING PENRITH

The now 24-year-old made his NRL debut with the Panthers in 2022 but his path to first grade was blocked on the edges by a stack of premiership winners including Brian To’o, Stephen Crichton and Sunia Turuva.

He played six first-grade games over two years for the Panthers before Newcastle offered him a two-year deal with the chance to replace Roosters-bound winger Dom Young, so he jumped at it.

But it didn’t turn out the way he planned.

“There was a lot of excitement going up to Newcastle, but in saying that I think I wasn’t present in Newcastle, I was probably promised a lot of things, but on both ends, I didn’t exceed those expectations or live up to those expectations,” he said.

“That was on me, that was purely me getting ahead of myself.

“Everything has a reason.”

Jenkins made his NRL debut for the Panthers in Round 25 2022, but played just five games in 2023, before moving to the Knights. Picture: NRL Imagery

KNIGHTS GOODBYE

He wanted to get back to Sydney.

He didn’t feel like himself.

“My Newcastle experience was really good, there’s a good bunch of boys up there and they’re a tight knit group, there wasn’t any bad blood about why I left, it was purely based on what I needed as a person, to come back here, be around family, and enjoy my footy,” he said.

“I just found that I didn’t feel like myself, I didn’t feel at home … I felt like something was drawing me back to here. I wanted to be back around Sydney.

“I wasn’t looking back thinking I wish I was (at Penrith) I was focused on Newcastle, I was focused on trying to play first grade there.

“The opportunity was there on both ends. At the end of the season I sort of made the decision, I spoke to Newcastle, and it was a mutual agreement.”

Jenkins went to Newcastle with plenty of hype, but the move didn’t work out … he played just five games in 2024. Picture: NRL Imagery

THE GAMBLE

He returned to Sydney in November with no contract and started training with St Marys.

Penrith’s NSW Cup coach Ben Harden caught wind he was back in town and asked him to train in the afternoons, so he did that as well as work as a disability support worker on the side.

“I’m really passionate about and I still go and work there on my days off,” he said.

“I just worked there, trained in the arvos and tried to work my way back.”

Still, there was no promises he would make it back to first grade.

It wasn’t until the week of Penrith’s first trial against Manly with the main squad in Las Vegas that he signed the one-year development deal.

“It is a good story,” said Ivan Cleary.

“Nothing was guaranteed. Tom and I had a chat before Christmas and he went back to St Marys first, and then in our afternoon squad here.

“I just thought he was very humble about it, he just went back there, trained the house down, was probably the fittest guy, and then played well.

“He got an opportunity in our trial against Manly when we all went to Vegas, played well in Cup and was probably our best player in Cup across the first two rounds. And I know that he’s capable.

“We’ve got positions in our team at the moment that are definitely not a lock so there’s a real opportunity for guys with a bit of competitive tension so he’s good for that.”

Thomas Jenkins impressed in the pre-season, earning a one-year development deal. Picture: NRL Imagery

Coming back to Sydney without a contract and chasing an opportunity, it didn’t have to be Penrith.

But he wanted it to be.

“When I left I didn’t know what was next,” he said.

“Penrith is a hard system to crack, it’s a hard squad to get into, so it wasn’t something I knew I was coming back to. It’s something I was striving for, but I can say I’m lucky I got back here. But I worked hard over the pre-season.”

FULL CIRCLE MOMENT

Jenkins has a real sense of vindication now.

Within three weeks of signing the deal, he forced his way into the NRL side against Melbourne, entrusted with one of the most important positions on the field at fullback.

Now he gets a second crack at centre against Souths on Thursday night.

There’s still no promises of a full-time contract, but it can’t be far away.

“I took the gamble of not knowing what was next, but I enjoyed it to be honest,” he said.

“It was a bit of a kick up the bum to see how good I have it, and how lucky I really am.”

Originally published as Panthers outside back Tom Jenkins’ incredible journey from unemployed to NRL in three weeks