The salary cap squeeze is set to extend to the Penrith Panthers, potentially forcing out two of their one-club stars for next season.
It was always a matter of 'when' not 'if' the salary cap would start hitting the Panthers, who had a whopping seven players in the New South Wales line-up for the decider, and it seems a Western duo could be forced to depart the foot of the mountains at the end of this year.
Both Liam Martin and Charlie Staines appear to be on the outer at the Panthers, though it won't take long for either star to find a new home.
The duo both hail from western New South Wales, with Staines growing up in Forbes while Martin was even further from the foot of the mountains, spending his junior days in Temora, just outside the Central West.
While both remain under contract until the end of 2023, The Daily Telegraph reports that Martin's management and Penrith have gone back and forth regarding an extension, a nice pay bump expected after 'the Temora terrier' played the entire Origin series barring about ten minutes in the second game.
The fearless back-rower would rather stay put, especially with Viliame Kikau departing for Canterbury next year, however it's clear Martin could walk if the Panthers don't come to the table. They have a key meeting scheduled for next week which could well decide where the edge forward lands in 2024 - or earlier.
Charlie Staines, meanwhile, is set to discuss an early release to join the Wests Tigers for the start of their 2023 campaign. The Forbes flyer burst onto the scene in 2020 with a four-try debut, so highly touted that Penrith released Josh Mansour early to give Staines a permanent first-grade spot.
However, the addition of Paul Momirovski saw Stephen Crichton push to the wing and Staines drop out of the team, compounded by this season's rise of Taylan May on the wing.
The Central West product still harbours dreams of playing fullback at NRL level, and with a seeming reluctance from the Tigers to lock-up Daine Laurie, Staines might have his wish delivered on a platter sooner than first thought.
Staines would require an early release, though following the rise of May and Izack Tago alongside the yet-to-debut Fijian international Sunia Turuva, he is well and truly slipping down the pecking order at the Panthers, leaving the door at Concord slightly ajar for a quick departure.
