Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has dismissed claims the club will have to choose between Dylan Edwards and Jarome Luai, declaring “we’re confident we can keep them both”.
There are fears one of the key spine members may be squeezed out when their deals expire at the end of next season.
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Rivals can negotiate with the pair from November 1, with cashed-up clubs able to offer a lot more money than the Panthers given the two-time defending premiers have already locked in stars like Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and James Fisher-Harris on long-term deals.
Picking one or the other seems unfair given they’ve both come through the system, but the pair will command huge offers —likely in excess of $1m a season each — on the open market, with Edwards’ value doubling over the past 12 months.
“We’re confident we can keep them both,” Cleary said.
“In saying that, it won’t be without its challenges. ‘Romey’ is a local, Dyl came here as a kid and came through the system. They’re big pieces of connection in terms of how our team works. I’m sure they both want to stay here.
“As for which one you pick, I can’t answer that one. I’d pick them both. We’ll work our way through it.
“I think those guys know that we want them. It’ll work itself out. We haven’t really started talking about it too much. Everyone else is, but we’re just worrying about one game at a time.”
Liam Martin is another player who can test his value on the open market in November, but reports suggest the representative back-rower is close to signing a new deal having inked a one-year extension back in February.
“We’d love him to stay,” Cleary said.
“He’s played all his footy here. He came here as a kid and is developing nicely. (I can’t give an update) not quite at the moment, but we love having him here and we think he’s a really important part of our team in the future.
“We’re pretty confident we’ll sort that one out soon.”
Martin’s long-term future is looking a lot clearer than his current situation with the edge forward appearing to reinjure his hamstring in the win over Newcastle.
It’s a frustrating setback for a guy who had just come back from four weeks on the sidelines but could be out for a little longer after he came off in the first half against the Knights.
“I feel sorry for Marto because…it’s probably better if you know what it is that you’ve got. We’ll sort it out,” Cleary said.
“I don’t really know. Sometimes when it’s like that, it can be maybe a neural thing or something that’s come from his back, so we’re looking into that at the moment.
“I think I used the word ‘mystery’, but that’s probably unfair because people know more than I do. We’ll work it out.”
