Panthers young gun Charlie Staines could be granted the option of exiting Penrith next season as the young winger looks to land more minutes at NRL level.
Staines returned to Ivan Cleary's side for the club's Round 13 bout with the Bulldogs on Friday night, slotting back into a wider role in the absence of Origin pair Brain To'o and Stephen Crichton.
The 80-minute outing was Staines' first appearance for the Panthers since Round 8, having been named on standby for the three rounds in between, having fallen back in Cleary's backline pecking order after scoring just two tries and recording no try assists this season.
The rise of flyer Taylan May and incumbent fullback Dylan Edwards has pushed Staines to the periphery, with the 21-year-old potential weighing up his options at the foot of the mountains.
The Panthers will still see Staines as a required player for the remainder of this season, playing a key role as a depth player, particularly throughout Origin-impacted weekends.
However, according toย The Sydney Morning Herald,ย the Panthers could be open to allowing Staines to assess his options elsewhere for 2023 should a deal arise from a rival club.
It is believed there is an understanding in place that the Panthers won't stand in the way of a request from Staines to depart Penrith, with the reigning premiers potentially offloading the youngster's $350,000 salary for next season.
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Staines is eligible to speak with rival clubs from November, having his current contract expire at the end of 2023.
The Forbes Magpies product is understood to have gained interest from Canterbury in the past, and could be on the Bulldogs' radar again as they look to bolster their fullback stocks.
Out-of-favour No.1 Matt Dufty is poised to depart Belmore after one season, with more exposure and a reunion with close friend Matt Burton potentially a lure for Staines to consider.
Staines has shown plenty of poise in the top flight, having amassed 14 tries from 21 appearances last year, bit a step back this season has halted his development.
Nine appearances this season have seen the flashy flyer bring his career NRL games tally to 32, which has garnered a return of 22 tries.
