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Penrith CEO Brian Fletcher has dismissed any suggestion star five-eighth Jarome Luai will be granted an early release to join the Wests Tigers.<\/p>\n
Luai\u2019s decision to skip Panthers training on Monday amid tensions over his impending move to Concord on a five-year, $6 million deal at the end of 2024 had raised talk of an immediate transfer being pursued.<\/p>\n
Luai has not requested a release after telling teammates of his looming departure on Saturday, and it is unclear whether Luai attended training on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Club officials were tight-lipped on the drama that ensued when his representatives told Penrith he needed time away from the club this week.<\/p>\n
Players are on Christmas break from Wednesday but there is a firm expectation Luai \u2013 who is still nursing his shoulder after surgery \u2013 will join his teammates when they return to full-time training in the first week of January.<\/p>\n
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Jarome Luai leaves Panthers training after telling teammates 2024 will be his last season at the club.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Steven Siewert<\/cite><\/p>\n Fletcher insisted there was no chance of Luai being farewelled early, pointing to the way stars Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, Stephen Crichton and Api Koroisau had all seen out the final year of the Penrith contracts, finishing their tenures with premierships in the process.<\/p>\n \u201cFortunately for Jarome, and we\u2019re very happy for him, he\u2019s secured a massive contract and a long-term contract which is good, so he\u2019s got the blessing of the club,\u201d Fletcher told Nine News.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a pity that the cap forces these good players out eventually when you\u2019re having the success we\u2019re having. We love him to death and we need him to play here next year.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the speculation is rubbish. He\u2019ll be playing for Panthers, and hopefully we\u2019ll be going on to try and win another premiership with him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe will be playing here. We haven\u2019t released any players before, and under no circumstances will Jarome be going anywhere for 2024. After that, we just wish him and his family all the best.\u201d<\/p>\n While the finishing touches to the Tigers contract \u2013 which will make Luai one of the highest-paid players in the game \u2013 are being put together by the club and his management, the Bulldogs continue to monitor the situation.<\/p>\n Canterbury have verbally put forth their own five-year deal for Luai. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Panthers had yet to receive formal notice of Luai\u2019s intention to sign with a rival club.<\/p>\n The NRL\u2019s new rules give Penrith a 10-day period to make a counteroffer, but the club is expected to waive that right given it cannot compete with the money offered elsewhere.<\/p>\n The Panthers have other moving pieces in their salary cap \u2013 chiefly off-contract youngsters Sunia Turuva, Taylan May and hooker Mitch Kenny \u2013 but there is no desire to free up salary cap space by releasing Luai early.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n