The Penrith Panthers have reportedly denied requests on behalf of some of the club’s biggest stars, including Nathan Cleary, about speaking to rivals clubs before the November 1 deadline.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the Panthers blocked overtures from some star players seeking to negotiate with rival clubs before they become free agents.
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The lure of tax free dollars at the PNG Chiefs is proving enticing for some of the biggest off-contract NRL stars come November 1 and many of them are at the Panthers.
Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Brian To’o, Moses Leota, Mitch Kenny, Isaiah Papali’i, Blaize Talagi and Paul Alamoti are all free to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1 regarding their futures beyond 2027.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary’s decision to step down from the role at the end of 2027 has sparked fears of a player exodus at the club, with his son the potentially leading the way out of the four-time premiers.
Managers for a number of Panthers stars including the TGI agency that represents Nathan Cleary, Yeo and Mitch Kenny reportedly held talks with the Penrith club over potentially speaking with rivals before November 1.
While no formal requests were made, the parties discussed potential scenarios, with the PNG Chiefs circling a number of the club’s biggest stars for their inaugural season in 2028.
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Panthers players discussed negotiating with rivals before November 1 with the club.Source: Getty Images
The Panthers privately concede they may lose some of their players and don’t begrudge stars looking at their options from November 1.
However, by waiting until that deadline, they feel it gives the Panthers the best chance of retaining those stars long-term.
Part of Penrith’s strategy was to lock in Peter Wallace as Ivan Cleary’s successor 18 months out, so players would know the direction of the club before making calls on their futures.
However, the loss of Ivan could backfire with the lure of the money on offer at the Chiefs too hard for some veteran players especially to ignore as their careers wind down.
The Chiefs have already signed Jarome Luai to a $1.2 million a year deal over three seasons, which given the tax free loophole means a rival club would need to pay $2.2 million to match the offer.
Peter Badel spoke on NRL 360 about Nathan Cleary potentially earning $3 million a season at the Chiefs with third party arrangements.
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