Phil Gould says Penrith Panthers would take Matt Lodge if he leaves the Broncos

WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Panthers supremo Phil Gould has thrown the door open for rugby league bad boy Matt Lodge to join Penrith.

Lodge continues to divide the game. (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

PANTHERS supremo Phil Gould has thrown the door open for rugby league bad boy Matt Lodge to join Penrith, despite the continuing fallout from his off-season scandals.

Remarkably, a number of other clubs are also interested in Lodge, who is off contract at the end of this season and has voiced a desire to ­return to Sydney to be closer to his family.

The Sunday Telegraph understands at least six clubs have expressed interest to his manager, Isaac Moses, ignoring the furore over his violent past.

Lodge can potentially earn up to $600,000 a year, such is the demand for recognised front-rowers.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Saint, sinner, shoosh

Lodge continues to divide the game. (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

“I met with him six months ago,” Gould said, “He wanted to talk about the possibility of coming home to the Panthers but I told him he owed the Broncos some time to repay the work they’d done with him during his rehab and he agreed.

“However, I told him if
he ever wanted to return to the Panthers in the future, to call me. I was very impressed with the changes in him. I’ve known his history since he was a kid and it’s not pretty.

“But this is a very different young man now. I will wait to see if he calls.”

Gould felt Lodge owed the Broncos. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Gould said he was hopeful Lodge would settle his payout to the victims of his drunken US rampage before signing his next NRL deal.

Lodge was originally from Penrith juniors.

He quit to join Melbourne Storm and then Wests Tigers. He now has a partner and young child they are raising in Brisbane on the minimum NRL salary. His parents are police officers based in Sydney.

Lodge was booed by Dragons and Tigers fans during his two appearances in Sydney this season.