In a significant NRL junior recruitment win, the Penrith Panthers have officially signed Buster Hindmarsh, the 17-year-old son of Parramatta Eels icon Nathan Hindmarsh, on a two-year deal.
News Corp first reported the highly-rated young forward has drawn interest from several NRL clubs due to his standout performances in the junior ranks.
Buster played in the SG Ball Cup for the North Sydney Bears this season and quickly became one of the most sought-after teenage prospects in the country.
While both the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and a return to the Bears were serious options, Penrith's elite junior development program and long-standing reputation for nurturing young talent proved to be the deciding factor.
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"Penrith gave us an invitation to go and check out their facilities, and they were really impressive," Nathan Hindmarsh said in an interview with Fox Sports.
"The Bulldogs did the same thing. The Dogs were very close, too. They've got a great set-up."
The Hindmarsh family explored all available pathways with care, including the possibility of Buster continuing with the Bears in 2025, where he had already made a strong impression in the under-19s setup.'
"He was keen on the Bears too, where he played SG Ball this year, but we decided the Panthers were the best option at this stage of his career," Hindmarsh added.
"They've got such a great record bringing kids through and looking after them so professionally."
With this signing, the Penrith Panthers add yet another promising forward to their already stacked junior ranks, reinforcing their dominance in the talent development space and sending a strong signal to rivals in the NRL.