The Penrith Panthers are dealing with the propsect of dropping one among their grand final-winning heroes as one million greenback wage cap squeeze hits residence.
Jahrome Luai and fullback Dylan Edwards are each in a position to signal with rival golf equipment from November 1 that means the Panthers are on the clock to re-sign them.
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Complicating issues is the truth that the Panthers have already spent large locking up James Fisher-Harris, Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Brian To’o and Moses Leota on long-term offers.
Edwards, who’s on a reported $500,000 is in line for a large pay rise whereas Luai may command as much as $1 million on the open market.
Mitchell Moses and Nicho Hynes not too long ago inked bumper new offers in extra of $1 million a season and Luai could be pushing for one thing approaching the identical.
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Michael Chammas now studies the Panthers are conscious they may battle to retain each.
“Penrith have until November 1 to retain the pair, who are both managed by the same company, before they become free agents,” he wrote.
“But there’s a realisation at Penrith that, if both players are expecting to get paid market value, one of them won’t be there beyond the end of their contract expiration next year.”
It comes as NRL veteran Aaron Woods urged the Panthers at hand Edwards a hefty million-dollar contract extension.
“They’ve got him for peanuts, I’d pay a million dollars for him, what he does is he positions himself so well,” Woods stated on Triple M.
“He gets his numbers right every time which a lot of fans understand get your numbers right, for your defensive line that is one of the hardest things to do.
“What Dylan Edwards does so well is he compliments Cleary and Luai,” James Graham added.
“He knows they can do the X-factor things and Edwards just works his nuts off, gets everything right, makes himself available for opportunities.
“His effort is outstanding, he is all over the park and he lets Cleary and Luai take care of business.”
Woods and Graham stated Penrith bosses ought to prioritise Edwards’ signature and stated the membership can look inside for replacements at five-eighth and within the backrow.
“I’d go the No.1, you have got to go Dylan Edwards, he’s the glue,” Woods stated.
“They’ve lost Crichton, Kikau but not too dissimilar to Melbourne Storm when they went through their salary cap issues, they kept No.1, No.7 and No.9,” Graham stated.
“They’ll have a look at who’s coming up.”
Graham additionally believes the Panthers have the negotiating energy, with gamers wanting to stay at a membership that’s competing for premierships as an alternative of taking a better wage elsewhere.
“They will have a conversation and say this is our best offer,” Graham stated.
“If you want to stay at this premiership-winning team and play with Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and with all these great players… you are going to have to take (unders), we can’t give you your market value.
“We see the Roosters attract players for under their market value, players go their to win premierships.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au