The Penrith Panthers are firming to re-sign Mitch Kenny to keep him at the foot of the mountains beyond 2027.
Kenny was a pivotal part of the Panthers' premiership success, winning four titles with the club and was well in the mix for a NSW Blues call-up before a nasty ankle injury in April.
Fresh reports from The League Scene indicate a verbal agreement on an extension is nearing for both parties, and the Panthers are keen to keep him at the club.
The length of the extension is still unknown, but the Panthers will want to lock down a player of Kenny's calibre long term to ensure rivals stay away.
The Panthers are set to undergo a massive changing of the guard beyond next season, with a plethora of talented stars remaining off-contract for 2028.
The Panthers face an uphill battle to retain all of their premiership-winning heroes, which include the likes of Nathan Cleary, Brian To'o, Blaize Talagi, Isaah Yeo, Paul Alamoti, Liam Martin and more.
As players' values inflate after reaching the heights of premiership success, it increasingly gets more difficult for the club to juggle all the stars within the salary cap, hence why the Panthers have had to part ways with some of the game's biggest names including Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton and Viliame Kikau over the years.
Although the Panthers look to be prioritising a key member of their spine for life after Ivan Cleary, who will be stepping down as head coach at the end of the 2027 season.
Former Panthers skipper and life member Peter Wallace will take over the helm, and has been involved in coaching at the club since his retirement in 2018.
Kenny was having a quality start to the season before a syndesmosis and fractured fibula injury in Round 7 derailed his campaign when the Panthers travelled to Darwin and defeated the Dolphins.
He was shaping up as a Blues hooker candidate alongside Reece Robson, Apisai Koroisau and Blayke Brailey before his injury ruled him out of the entire series.
Kenny is expected to be named for the club's face-off with defending premiers Brisbane Broncos, on July 16 after its bye this weekend.
The local junior has played 135 games for the Panthers since his NRL debut in the first round of 2019 and has silently developed into one of the best hookers in the competition.
He was an integral part of the four premierships won in Western Sydney during 2021 to 2024, and will be a welcome inclusion into the line-up for the Panthers' backend of the season and charge for a fifth premiership in six seasons.
