One member of Penrith Panthers’ 2023 Grand Final winning side looks set to be made available for Super League sides come the end of the 2024 season.
Whilst the salary cap is far larger in the NRL, it still affects the best teams who often recruit all the way up to the cap given the large amounts of money in the game down under.
Penrith are no different with the three time consecutive Grand Final champions having had to pay plenty to retain their stars over their recent run of dominance, thus leaving them with a sticky cap situation to negotiate.
That could mean sacrifices and players having to slip through the cracks and per The Mole of Wide World Of Sports the fall guy could be back-rower Luke Garner.
Garner comes off contract at the end of the 2024 season but the Panthers are reportedly unable to make him a competitive contract offer to retain him, the salary cap squeezing down on them.
As such the 28-year-old will likely be looking for options elsewhere with his manager having confirmed that those options include clubs from England and therefore a move to Super League.
“Penrith would love to keep him and Luke wants to stay but the salary cap is what it is,” Garner’s manager Tas Bartlett told WWOS.
“Ivan (Cleary) gave him his top grade debut at the Tigers a few years ago and is a fan of the way he plays.
“Luke has had interest both here and in England but will wait and see what happens.”
Garner has only been at Penrith for the past season having arrived from Wests Tigers where he started his career, but the Panthers now could struggle to retain him.
Any interested Super League parties will get a better chance to see Garner up close and personal when Penrith head to England in February to face Wigan in the Word Club Challenge final.
That game will see Penrith aim to lift the title for the first time having been beaten in shock fashion by St Helens last year, whilst also losing to Wigan in 1994.
The Warriors have already sold 17,000 tickets for that clash and it remains over seven weeks away, indicating the huge anticipation for the match between the Super League and NRL champions.
