Jarome Luai offered $1.7m two-year deal from Penrith Panthers

The Penrith Panthers have upped their offer to Jarome Luai, tabling the star five-eighth a two-year, $1.7 million deal to keep him at the club until the end of 2026.

Luai, who is off contract at the Panthers at the end of 2024, held a meeting with Penrith powerbrokers 11 days ago, when he was told of the club’s increased spending capacity.

As revealed by the Herald two months ago, the Panthers indicated to Luai that they would not be able to pay him more than $800,000 a season.

That figure has since increased to about $850,000, but the Panthers have offered him only a two-year deal.

Rival clubs, who believe it would take a long-term deal worth in excess of $1m a year to lure Luai away from his junior club, are monitoring the situation but can’t make a formal offer until November 1.

Luai has indicated his preference is to remain with the Panthers but he wants to explore what could potentially be more…