Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

BlackWhiteGold said:
Won't be us for Leota imo, 2 reasons - 1 we won't offer up to the value in this story & 2 his manager is Gavin Orr (I can't remember the last player we have recruited from his agency).

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...s/news-story/a045139211659d185b490cb11f8c5055

Moses Leota’s value is set to reach the $1 million mark with six clubs looking to tempt him away from the Panthers and Penrith ready to fight fire with fire.

Moses Leota’s value is set to reach the $1 million mark with six clubs, including the Sydney Roosters, Dolphins and Perth, expressing interest in the Panthers enforcer.

This masthead can reveal Leota’s management will formally contact the Panthers on Wednesday to update the former premiers on his future as a bidding war prepares to break out for the champion prop.

The Panthers gave Leota permission to negotiate with rival clubs, setting a deadline of July 8 for his management to explore prospective opportunities ahead of the prop officially becoming a free agent on November 1.

The two-week window has concluded, with six clubs understood to have discussed making potential offers of between $850,000 to $1 million a season to poach Leota from Penrith.

Perth loom as the frontrunners with Mal Meninga’s Bears keen to have Leota on deck immediately ahead of the 18th NRL franchise entering the big league next season.

But the Panthers insist they won’t be granting Leota an early release from his deal, which expires at the end of next season, as they look to hit back with a contract to keep him at Penrith for life.

Leota is currently on around $750,000 this season and his manager Gavin Orr confirmed the 30-year-old is one of the most in-demand forwards in the code after the two-week market-testing exercise.

“The Panthers kindly gave us permission to search the market and it’s come back that there’s half-a-dozen clubs that have got interest in Moses,” Orr said.

“They are prepared to wait until the 1st of November which they have to under the rules.

“I will be emailing the Panthers saying thanks for your patience, Moses has now got the information that he needs to make an informed decision moving forward.

“With the increase of the salary cap under the new TV rights deal, Moses’ value could certainly reach the $1 million mark.

“Penrith said to me from the start - ‘Don’t ask for an early release because we won’t allow that’.

“But now we know where we stand so we won’t have to waste time come November 1.”

Orr hasn’t ruled out Leota signing an extension with the Panthers and finishing his career at the club where he made his NRL debut in 2016 and helped build a golden four-peat title dynasty from 2021-2024.

But Leota has a big decision to make after being flooded with interest. The Bears are keen for the New Zealand Test bookend to spearhead their engine room in 2027 or 2028, while the Dolphins, Canberra, Roosters, Wests Tigers and Bulldogs made preliminary inquiries.

Some of those clubs may not table formal offers, but it is evidence of Leota’s appeal and Orr scoffed at suggestions the 217-game Panthers stalwart is on his last legs in the NRL.

Leota, who turns 31 in a fortnight, has played 26 games per season over the past three years and plans to soldier on for another three or four seasons.

“He has no major injuries,” Orr said.

“He is 31 this year. He has been the forward leader of the Panthers for the past two years. He wants to play until he is 35 so he has another three or four years left in him. He is one of the fittest and fastest forwards in the team.

“Perth have shown some interest in getting Moses now but Penrith won’t let that happen.

“Moses is right up there with the best value props in the game. He has won four grand finals and could have won the Clive Churchill Medal in two grand finals.

“Ideally, Penrith would like to get him done first (to an extension before November 1).

“They have quite a few players coming off contract so they would like to keep Moses for the rest of his career if they can.

“I think he will wait until November 1 when we have clarity on the salary cap for 2028 following this new TV rights deal.

“But if the Panthers offer him the right deal, then he will probably stay where he is.”
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would not be surprised if he does not sign for the Roosters
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
They have arguably the best crop of young forwards who, this contract, they probably have on <$450k each.

The Couchman twins, Hamish Stewart, Dylan Egan, Loko Pacifika Tonga & Jacob Halangahu are all better than any forward we have aged 20-22 except Samuela Fainu.

They will spike quicky next season unless they have a run of injuries like us, Eels & Broncos.
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Agree but when the $$$ comes knocking how do they hold onto all of them long term? I don't think they can.
 
GNR4LIFE said:
He’d have to have rocks in his head to ask for an early release. He’d be walking out on another big tilt for a premiership. I’d be surprised if next year isn’t the crescendo with it being the last hurrah for a lot of the playing group and the coach.
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Mad to leave full stop
- his whole life is out there…
Fantastic organisation and admin.
He’s a big reason they’re as good as they are… could show our middles a thing or two about effort.
hope he retires there.
 
TigerBurnsy said:
Id be looking at Loko, he’s already been unhappy and tried to leave, he probably fits our culture well with there being lots of Polynesian players at the club
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Would love him, very high ceiling. But I feel we will target NRL experience & just have a feeling we will come in for Spencer Leniu and it will come down to Eels or us.
 
426Tlgerland said:
Read Tigers show interest in Leota , we would need it to be for 27 onwards not 28 , 27&28 with club option 29 probably the only way we get him , but would panthers give him for 27 , also at what price , $ $$$ V getting old , my take , if we want another prop get a young guy on the rise so we keep the team full of younger players to stay together long term
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Tumou 2.0
 
Tom Shines said:
With the salary cap tipped to be going up as high as $20 million under the new broadcast deal ..player prices are going to get very crazy..

Apparently Dearden from the Cowboys has ratchets that he gets 12 percent of the total cap …. $2.4 m a year ..
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Almost double . 20 mil cap proposed.
 
Tom Shines said:
With the salary cap tipped to be going up as high as $20 million under the new broadcast deal ..player prices are going to get very crazy..

Apparently Dearden from the Cowboys has ratchets that he gets 12 percent of the total cap …. $2.4 m a year ..
Click to expand...

If that's true he'll be getting shopped...
 
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