The Penrith Panthers will reportedly look to use Jarome Luai's salary to re-sign and upgrade a number of current players.
The Panthers had offered Luai a reported $850,000 per season over the next two years, but the Tigers financially trumped that offer, reportedly to the tune of around $300,000 per year.
Luai will ultimately move to the Wests Tigers at the start of the 2025 season, and the Panthers will head to their internal ranks in an attempt to replace him.
The Panthers have both Daine Laurie and Brad Schneider who will arrive at the club for 2024, while they could look at their own junior development with the likes of Jack Cole putting his hand up to replace the New South Wales State of Origin five-eighth.
That will save the men from the foot of the mountains - who will shoot for a fourth straight premiership in 2024 - a large chunk of money on an already stressed salary cap that features big-money deals for the likes of Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards and James Fisher-Harris among others.
Some of that stress has been released by centre Stephen Crichton's departure, who joins the Bulldogs.
The Western Weekender's Peter Lang is reporting that those who could stand to experience a significant windfall from the key departures are Mitch Kenny, Sunia Turuva and Izack Tago.
With the Panthers expected to fill the vacant five-eighth spot from 2025 onwards from within, the club has $850,000 to spend re-signing players, who are coming off-contract. On the hit list are Mitch Kenny & Sunia Turuva while Izack Tago could also get an extension beyond 2025. pic.twitter.com/eLbzXChqSQ
— Peter Lang (@PeterVLang) January 4, 2024
As it stands, Kenny and Turuva - who were both excellent during the 2023 campaign - will be among the priorities for Penrith, with the duo both off-contract at the end of 2024.
That means they have been able to negotiate (and sign with) rival clubs since November 1.
Other players in the same position are Matthew Eisenhuth, Luke Garner, Zac Hosking, Ativalu Lisati, Taylan May, Tyrone Peachey and recent arrivals Paul Alamoti and Laurie himself.
Hosking has been linked to a move away from the club having toured facilities at the Canberra Raiders, while Garner could also find his way out of the club. May has openly discussed a desire to play alongside his brothers, although may elect to remain at Penrith as he prepares for a shuffle into the centres during 2024 upon his return from a season off due to an ACL injury.
Tago, on the other hand, is off-contract at the end of 2025. Now established in Penrith's centres, he will be in for a big upgrade on his next deal, although the men from the foot of the mountains have till November 1 where they have exclusive negotiation rights.
Penrith may also make moves to lock up talented local juniors Mavrik Geyer and Isaiah Iongi prior to the November 1 deadline.
