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Daine Laurie will return to Penrith next year for about $150,000 \u2013 less than half his salary at Wests Tigers this year.<\/p>\n
Paul Alamoti heads west from Canterbury for roughly half the $450,000 of his most recent Canterbury contract.<\/p>\n
Zac Hosking turned down a larger offer from Canberra.<\/p>\n
Tyrone Peachey was ready to walk away from the game, before taking $100,000 less than the $375,000 he was guaranteed in his Tigers contract.<\/p>\n
Luke Garner took a pay cut, though not as steep, to make the same move from wooden spooner to potential premiership winner in a year.<\/p>\n
Should Peachey, the 18th man for Sunday\u2019s grand final, play in a Panthers win, the pair would join Brenko Lee (Titans to Storm in 2020) and Harvey Howard (Magpies to Broncos in 2000) in trading last for first within 12 months during the NRL era.<\/p>\n
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Tyrone Peachey is loving life at Penrith after he was ready to walk away from rugby league.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n The premiership rings Penrith collect for fun are an incentive. But just as it was previously with Craig Bellamy at Melbourne and Trent Robinson at the Roosters, so too is a chance to learn from the best.<\/p>\n \u201cI love hearing that because when I first came into grade, it was the opposite,\u201d captain Isaah Yeo says.<\/p>\n \u201cPlayers were taking less to play at other clubs, whether it was the Storm or the Roosters.<\/p>\n \u201cTo have sustained success is obviously a big factor, but it\u2019s a really good tip of the cap to the club\u2019s status. It\u2019s taken a long time.<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially given Penrith, from the outside looking in, it\u2019s got a reputation as not the greatest destination for people to come. It\u2019s got a rep though because it\u2019s western Sydney and it\u2019s not near a beach.<\/p>\n \u201cBut for people to come out here, they then don\u2019t want to leave once they\u2019re out here, which is a tip of the cap to the community as well and how far the club has come.\u201d<\/p>\n Star five-eighth Jarome Luai faces a well-documented contract conundrum. When the season ends, he can formally negotiate with rival clubs, who will offer seven-figure salaries.<\/p>\n What price can you put on the Panthers effect?<\/p>\n Life has been good for Luke Garner since his move to Penrith.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n For players like Laurie and Alamoti, a $200,000 sacrifice on one deal is made with the examples of Sean O\u2019Sullivan and Jack Cogger in mind.<\/p>\n Cut-price contracts for an opportunity in the NRL\u2019s best system can work out eventually for players with potential that, for whatever reason, is yet to be truly realised.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m such a better footy player than I was this time last year, my footy knowledge has grown so much just by being around this group and these coaches,\u201d Garner says.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not really a lightbulb moment, probably more just you pick things up over time. I\u2019m fitter and stronger. You put the work in and it pays off.\u201d<\/p>\n Even Hosking, who earned more as a carpenter than a fringe NRL player earning $1000-a-week on train-and-trial deals, had little hesitation when Penrith called.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was still an easy decision to take Penrith, with the greatest respect to other clubs, because when it comes to your footy, you know you\u2019re in the best position possible,\u201d Hosking says.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Peachey\u2019s pay cut \u2013 as part of a trade with Charlie Staines \u2013 required the NRL salary cap auditor\u2019s approval.<\/p>\n Once facing early retirement, the former NSW Origin utility has been so revitalised by his time at Penrith, he\u2019s eyeing a post-career move into coaching.<\/p>\n \u201cI was hating life, I was hating footy and it wasn\u2019t fun any more,\u201d Peachey says.<\/p>\n \u201cMy body wasn\u2019t too bad but my heart wasn\u2019t in footy. But to come back to Penrith, I was nervous every day before pre-season. They\u2019re just animals out here.<\/p>\n \u201cYou just don\u2019t want to let anyone down. The system here just brings the best out in you.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone here rips in, the juniors are guns coming through and you just don\u2019t want to let anyone down. The system here just brings the best out in you.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch the NRL Grand Final Exclusive Live and Free on Channel 9 and <\/i><\/b>9Now<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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