NRL Rd 12 - Sea Eagles v Panthers
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 01: Caleb Aekins of the Panthers is tackled during the round 12 NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Penrith Panthers at Lottoland on August 01, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

The Penrith Panthers will have 11 players coming off contract at the end of the season, and rival clubs are lining up to throw the big bucks at them, reports The Daily Telegraph.

The Canberra Raiders are on the brink of landing one, fullback Caleb Aekins, 22, to a multi-year deal from next season.

Tyrone May is expected to re-sign with the Panthers once his deal expires at the end of the 2020 season, but the Panthers will have 11 players, including Matt Burton, Kurt Capewell, Stephen Crichton, Mitch Kenny, Jack Hetherington, Brent Naden, Zane Tetevano, Jarome Luai, Spencer Leniu, Isaah Yeo and Josh Mansour, off contract at the end of next season.

It means from November 1 this year, rival clubs are able to approach them for their signature.

The Panthers are well aware of the list of players coming off contract and will do all they can to keep their young stars together after an impressive 2020 campaign.

There have been no hints that a large number of players will leave the club, but for all the talent and what the Panthers group have achieved so far, rival clubs will be sure to come calling to pry them away for big money.

The out-of-contract players are delaying contract talks at the moment to focus on the club's season, which could very well end in the ultimate success if recent form is anything to go by.

“Negotiations are well under way with a number of those players,” Panthers great and club deputy chairman Greg Alexander told The Daily Telegraph.

“You could say we have at least 20 players that are playing the best football of their careers.

“Some are only young in terms of their careers but every individual at Penrith is in good form. And that generally means that there are plenty of clubs interested in a lot of the players.

“I’m sure they have enjoyed this season and also know that the future of the club looks pretty good. We are working through a number of those players as we speak.”

2 COMMENTS

  1. Caleb Aekins will not be a marquee signing for the Raiders if they do happen to get him. Will be a solid backup for CNK. Playing a handful of first grade games for the Panthers doesn’t put him in the top echelon of players by any means.

  2. Aekins is a solid player & not a bad ground maker in general. Though, I think everyone knows that Staines ( recently re-signed ), will be a star player & is really a fullback.
    There are other good young players coming through at fullback too. That haven’t gotten the opportunity this season, due to Covid.
    Crichton already stated that he wanted to stay.
    Can’t see Luai going anywhere, with his friendship/ combination with Cleary.
    Leniu will be one of the main props there, as Tahmou leaves for the Tigers.
    Lindsay Smith is one of the brightest forward prospects around . So it will be interesting to see how he fits in next year . Maybe Penrith won’t look to re-sign Capewell, with Smith at the club?
    Though Capewell has done well , when he’s not been on the injured list.

Comments are closed.