The Penrith Panthers have promoted a young prop to the Top 30 roster and extended his contract as they prepare for life without James Fisher-Harris.
Luron Patea will remain at Penrith on a long-term deal until the end of the 2027 NRL season and will also be part of the club's Top 30 roster for the remainder of this season.
Alongside teammates Harrison Hassett, Jesse McLean, Billy Scott and Tim Sielaff-Burns, he was one of the five Panthers players selected for the U19s State of Origin match in 2023 and came off the interchange bench for the NSW Blues.
A promising prospect in the front-row, he has been with the club since 2021 and successfully come through the junior ranks playing in the Harold Matthews Cup, SG Ball Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup.
Named as the club's 2023 SG Ball Player of the Year - along with Billy Phillips - he is currently plying his trade in the NSW Cup where has played in all six matches.
During these games, he scored one try, made 17 tackles busts, 277 post-contact metres, 92 tackles (93.9 per cent tackle efficiency), and is averaging 104 running metres per game.
The extension of Patea's contract comes after he was already signed through to the end of next season and is the sixth player re-signed by the club this year - Mitch Kenny, Taylan May, Preston Riki, Paul Alamoti and Izack Tago extended their tenure earlier this year.
