Spencer Leniu informs Penrith he will leave club, Roosters set to swoop

When the back-to-back champion Panthers start to feel the effects of their success, Spencer Leniu will leave the team at the conclusion of this year. The Sydney Roosters are anticipated to ramp up their recruiting effort in the coming days to capture Leniu's services for the upcoming season. Leniu has informed the Panthers that he would leave the club at the end of the current season along with his close buddy Stephen Crichton. The Roosters are close to finalising a contract to bring Leniu to the team in 2024 after signing Newcastle winger Dominic Young for the next season. The Bulldogs expressed interest but withdrew from the contest. Leniu, a local youngster, was a player the Panthers hoped to keep, but the team's success has made it impossible. our pay cap position is under stress. Leniu, one of the NRL's most dangerous forwards, is presently playing behind Moses Leota and James Fisher-Harris, two Kiwi international props. Although the Panthers think highly of Leniu, a sizable portion of their wage cap is already committed to the two guys who start each week. Leniu stated he would love to stay at Penrith, but the Panthers were unable to provide a contract that would represent his market worth or assure him of a spot on the starting side. Leniu would be able to start for most NRL teams right away, but Penrith has what is probably the strongest front-row combination in the league. even as the club The junior pathways system at the club consistently produces regular first-graders, which makes the club happy even if they are upset to lose Leniu.

During the previous two years, the Panthers have lost a number of well-known title winners, including Api Koroisau, Viliame Kikau, Charlie Staines, Matt Burton, and Kurt Capewell. According to Joe Nakat, manager of Leniu, "Spencer had been there (Penrith) pretty much his entire childhood, playing with the Minchinbury Jets all the way through. He found it incredibly hard to imagine going originally." He realised it would be challenging to stay once the demands of the pay cap became more apparent. He also wants to play more minutes, which is another reality. He has reached a point in his career where he is prepared to contend for a starting prop position and plays on average less than 20 minutes every game.When a team like Penrith has excellent starting players, it might be challenging. He is able to go on to the next level due to a variety of variables. It becomes more difficult for Penrith to pay him market value when he isn't a starting prop. Spencer has a favourable opinion of the club. It was a really fruitful conversation with Penrith. We tried to make it work, but in the end it was clear that he needed to go on in order to realise his potential. Penrith's power brokers are aware that the team has a strong pipeline of talent coming through to take the place of its outgoing players, which might lead to Penrith winning the top four grades in 2022 (NRL, NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg, and SG Ball).

Panthers rugby league CEO Matt Cameron praised Spencer and his management for the manner they handled talks over the past several months. While we regret losing Spencer, we are confident in the rugby league career paths the Panthers provide. Although it is upsetting to see neighbourhood kids leave the club, we are hopeful for the future." We are a development club that believes in "building from within," and the team will keep developing exceptional rugby league players." "We have every confidence that the club will do so for years to come." After making his NRL debut for Penrith, Leniu has participated in both of the club's premiership victories in 61 games.He has also participated in five Test matches for Samoa, including the World Cup championship match at Old Trafford in Manchester against Australia in 2017. Although it's heartbreaking to see a Panthers kid leave for another NRL team, Cameron noted that Spencer was a premiership champion and an international talent who had drawn interest from other teams. The team acknowledges that the scenario reflects wage cap pressure as a result of the team's recent success and respects Spencer's choice. The Panthers appreciate Spencer's efforts on behalf of the team and are eager to have him play for them for the balance of the 2023 NRL season.