Penrith Panthers forward Luke Garner is unlikely to extend his time at the foot of the mountains, with the Perth Bears believed to be among the clubs circling.
Garner’s contract situation has played out in the public eye over the last 12 or so months.
At one point, it seemed he wasn’t going to get to the end of his contract with the Panthers, which expires at the end of the 2026 campaign.
He was given permission to negotiate his future away from the Panthers before November 1, with the potential of leaving at the end of 2025, although that didn’t come to be.
In August last year, he admitted he wasn’t sure where he would be for 2027 and beyond, although made it clear he wasn’t going to jump ship before the end of his current deal.
Fast forward another nine months, and the Panthers, who are battling the salary cap as they look to keep their all-conquering squad together, simply may not have the financial firepower to compete for Garner’s signature.
The second-rower, who can also play in the centres, has attracted interest from rival clubs including the Perth Bears, per a Wide World of Sports report.
PERTH BEARS SQUAD TRACKER
The Bears now have 16 players for their inaugural season after adding English international Mikolaj Oledzki on Tuesday evening, but are still looking for improvements around the squad, particularly in the second-row.
Garner would, at this stage, be a walk up starter for the Bears, who are also believed to be well into negotiations with Cameron McInnes, and could make a play for Bronson Xerri as he weighs up his future at the Canterbury Bulldogs.
It’s believed the Panthers do want to retain Garner, who has been a key part of the club’s success since he made the switch from the Wests Tigers ahead of 2023, but also have competing interests for their salary cap, with other forwards looking for extensions and upgrades.
Garner has played 129 NRL games, the last 54 of those coming for the Panthers, while he also represented the Prime Minister’s XIII in 2022.
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