SAD NEWS:Voss recommends that the Panthers pursue Wests Tigers potential

The departure of Fisher-Harris will see the club with around $1 million in salary cap space.

As it was confirmed last week that James Fisher-Harris will depart the Penrith Panthers at the end of the season, the club will have a lot of free space in the salary cap as they aim to poach a replacement.

Fisher-Harris’s departure creates a giant hole in the club’s forward pack heading into the future, as he will take his skill and experience to the New Zealand Warriors to be closer to his family.

While constant chatter has linked the Panthers with multiple forwards who will be off-contract at the end of 2024 or 2025, commentator Andrew Voss believes the club should target someone entirely different.
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Already linked with Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu, Voss has urged the Panthers to look to the Tigers halves and target young prospect Lachlan Galvin.

“People have straight away jumped on the bandwagon of (Penrith signing a front rower),” Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“I think Penrith when the dust settled, it had to settle pretty quickly on this one, Penrith don’t have a five-eighth.
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“I had a look through and I think they need to have a war chest ready to go for a number six not so much a front rower, I think they can pick up a front rower for 500 (thousand).

“Drumroll, Lachie Galvin becomes the most sought-after player in rugby league. Lachie Galvin is what I believe the Penrith roster needs.”

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The arrival of Galvin would be the perfect replacement for Jarome Luai in the halves to accompany Nathan Cleary.

Departing the Panthers alongside Fisher-Harris at the end of the season, Luai will link up with former Maori All Stars teammate Benji Marshall at the Wests Tigers, leaving an even bigger hole in the club’s halves.

While unlikely, the Tigers already have several halves on their roster for next season, including Luai, Aidan Sezer, Latu Fainu, and Jayden Sullivan, and one or two of them could be soon pushed out of the team.

“The Tigers are top-heavy, Jahrome Luai, $1.1 million, Latu Fainu getting $550,000 per year, committed long term, Jayden Sullivan, committed long term on a four-year contract,” Voss added.

“Lachie Galvin is on $150k, he’ll get $250k next year and $350k the year after. Penrith, Lachie Galvin they can’t talk to him at the moment but I’m just saying I think Penrith need (a) five-eighth more than they need a marquee front rower.”

The Panthers currently have Brad Schneider and Jack Cole as Luai’s replacements for the future.