Penrith boss Phil Gould insists there is yet to be any discussion around Tyrone Peachey leaving the NRL club to join Gold Coast prior to the season starting.
Peachey has two years left on his current deal with the Panthers but is understood to be considering a lucrative 2019 move to the Titans.
Gould says the club is unlikely to stand in his way
“We certainly couldn’t pay that money,” Gould told Triple M Rush Hour with MG on Tuesday.
“But he deserves it, his form warrants it and from 2020 onwards a deal like that might not be available to him.
“So it would be very unfair for us to hold him for the final year of that contract.
“I’m not sure he’s made a final decision on that. He’s very close to making a decision but any discussions we’ve had with Tyrone have been for 2019 and beyond.”
Peachey’s possible exit would continue a raft of departures from the foot of the mountains over the summer, including that of former star Matt Moylan to Cronulla.
Bryce Cartwright is the latest to leave, this week joining Leilani Latu and Mitch Rein under former Panthers assistant Garth Brennan at the Titans.
Asked whether coach Anthony Griffin had lost the playing group, Gould said: “I wont even dignify that with a comment.
“Journalists have got a job to do and I understand that and what we try not to do is react to sensationalism in journalism.
“You know they take a little bit of information and embellish it because they’ve all got to have there air time and their time on the back page.
“We cant be reacting to all that.”
Gould also revealed the club is still to enter serious discussions with halfback Nathan Cleary, who comes off-contract at the end of the 2019 season.
Rivals clubs are allowed to negotiate with him at the end of this year.
“We never offered him a contract and he never knocked back a contract,” Gould said.
“Nathan and I had a discussion privately before Christmas where I said, ‘Mate, when you’re ready to come have a talk about a contract you come and see me. I’m not going to bother you with it again and he said great I just want to concentrate on my football.’
“He’s not worried about contracts, he’s not concerned with money or future contracts despite all the speculation going on around him and we’re content with that.”
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