The Panthers have re-signed premiership winner Luke Garner for the next season, while the Sea Eagles have signed one of the NRL’s fastest men on a long-term contract.
Garner, 28, played five seasons with the Wests Tigers before moving to Penrith in 2023. He only appeared in 12 games last season but came off the bench in the Panthers’ stunning comeback victory in the grand final.
He has become into an important component of their left edge, which will look very different next year with Jarome Luai moving to the Wests Tigers and Taylan’s May future uncertain.
The Panthers recently added Isaiah Papali’i, who might slot into the back row, but Garner has proven he deserves to be in the discussion.
“It means a lot to me to re-sign with the club for another two years,” Garner said.
“Ivan Cleary gave me my NRL debut back in the day and then it was special to win a grand final with him last year.
“To stick around here for another two years is pretty exciting. It’s great to see where this club is going and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”
Meanwhile, the Sea Eagles have extended Jason Saab’s contract until the end of 2029 despite the speedster already being signed until 2026.
Saab joined Manly in 2021 and scored a whopping 26 tries in 27 matches, although he’s suffered a frustrating run of injuries that have kept him to just six appearances this season.
His speed has been a major asset for a Sea Eagles side that likes to move the ball around, which is why coach Anthony Seibold is confident the towering winger can push for higher honours.
“The improvement Jason has shown over the last 18 months is significant. I believe he can now become an elite winger and a representative-class winger,’’ he said.
“It’s within reach. He has always had the potential.
“We’ve seen ‘Saaby’ score some great tries since he has come into first grade, but I think the consistency in his game has grown.
“That’s his biggest area of improvement. He has become a really consistent NRL player and I know he can become an elite winger.
“I feel Jason has only scratched the surface. He has got a real growth mindset to get better.
“Jason is such a coachable young man. We want him to continue to grow and excel at the NRL level for Manly.
“He loves this club. We love having him here. He is someone we wanted to keep long term, knowing how much potential he has got.”
