Penrith Panthers

I’m really happy for him’: Peachey speaks highly on former teammate

Published

5 months ago

January 31, 2024

As the beginning of the new season approaches, Penrith Panthers utility Tyrone Peachey has praised an ex-teammate who’s making a name for himself across the ditch.

Coming off a career-best season, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak not only helped guide the New Zealand Warriors to a preliminary-final placing but was awarded a selection in the Dally M Team of the Year ahead of Dominic Young and Brian To’o.

The ex-Panthers skipper began his career in the club’s junior system and would go on to spend six seasons at the foot of the mountains in first grade.

However, his career would take a dramatic U-turn in 2019 as he struggled to make his way back into the team after injuries and was subsequently released to the Canterbury Bulldogs in the middle of the season.

Struggling to achieve wins, he moved to the New Zealand Warriors in the middle of the 2021 season and has prospered since,

scoring 37 tries in 47 games for the Warriors, including an average of 153 run metres per game last season and 80 tackle busts.

Zero Tackle

319 participants

A former teammate of Watene-Zelezniak, Tyrone Peachey, admitted that he is extremely happy to see how much his career has prospered since the move away from Penrith and likened his career to his own.

Peachey would leave the Panthers for a short stint with the Wests Tigers before moving back home – transitioning from a successful team to a poor team and back to a successful team.

“He’s kind of almost done the exact same as what I did,” Peachey told Zero Tackle.

“(He) left the Panthers when we were successful, went to a struggling team at the Doggies,

and then moved over to the Warriors, so it was really cool to see him…playing good football and winning.”

“I’m really happy for him because he’s a family man, and he’s got a few kids, and I always run into his brother at Penrith.

“(His brother is) a legend, always says hello, and I’m just really happy he’s playing some good footy again.”

The 28-year-old recently locked down his future, signing a contract extension with the New Zealand Warriors for a further two seasons.

He is one step closer to rounding out his career with the Auckland-based outfit.

“What Dallin showed to everyone is how much it meant for him and his family being back in New Zealand,” Warriors coach Andrew Webster has said in the past.

“He stood out as one of the best wingers in the competition, if not the best.

“His yardage carries were unbelievable while the tries, and the way he scored so many of them, were the icing on the cake.

“Not only that, his defence came a long way with how reliable he is, understanding where he’s got to be for the team, to make the right decision.”