Andrew Johns’ words of warning for Jarome Luai and his contract talks

Andrew Johns has delivered a warning to Penrith’s Jarome Luai as his contract talks ramp up, sending the rumour mill into overdrive.

Andrew Johns has given Jarome Luai a warning.

Andrew Johns has delivered a warning to Jarome Luai.

The Penrith Panthers star has been at the centre of contract speculation with his future remaining up in the air.

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The club locked away superstar fullback Dylan Edwards on a four-year contract extension, worth an estimated $850,000 a year, which ties him to the club longer than any of his premiership teammates.

It forced an even brighter spotlight onto Luai with big money offers expected to be thrown his way in attempts to lure him away.

“If you look at that signing, you’ve got Nathan (Cleary) and Dylan (in the spine), and you’ve got Mitch Kenny and Soni Luke who is there also as well,” Johns said on Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour.

“The big one to talk about is Jarome Luai, is Jarome staying? Because that money they paid for Dylan, Jarome’s probably looking at $600k maybe for Penrith.”

All eyes on Luai and his contract situation. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

While that figure is well below what he could land on the open market, Johns pointed to the situation with Reed Mahoney and said it’s there where Luai should be focusing.

“Maybe go and ask Reed Mahoney … it’s going to be a big one for Jarome,” he said.

“Jarome’s got a young family so you can totally understand it but if Jarome goes on the open market he’s getting a million dollars.

“Over five years you’re talking near two million dollars (extra than the Panthers deal), you can’t stay for that.

“That’s going to be the big story moving forward but for Dylan, congratulations to Dylan, congratulations to the Panthers, well done.”

Mahoney took the money but finds himself in a struggling Bulldogs team. NRL Imagery

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary remains adamant the massive pay rise for Edwards won’t impact the club’s ability to keep Luai and pay him “what he’s worth”.

“We still feel that way,” Cleary said.

“Each one‘s difficult because obviously the values go up and they’ve got families to consider and all that.

“But we feel confident that we can offer Romey what he’s worth. We feel that he, like Dylan, is a Panther. He belongs here. I think he knows it and we know it.”

Melbourne’s take-down of Brisbane on Thursday night has opened the door for Penrith to seize another minor premiership and secure the No.1 ranking going into the finals.

Andrew Johns has given Jarome Luai a warning.

While the Storm and Broncos chose to rest a host of stars for the final-round clash, the Panthers have been icing their key players at various stages over the past month to get ready for the finals.

Only Luai, Izack Tago and Mitch Kenny are missing from an otherwise full-strength team for the clash with North Queensland, and Cleary couldn’t deny the lure of finishing on top attractive.

But he also said it wouldn’t impact their plans for the game, with finals clearly in their minds.

“The fact that (the minor premiership) is back on the table is quite cool,” Cleary said.

“There’s something about finishing at the top that you should be proud of.

“(But) I don‘t like to change things halfway through a week. It hasn’t changed anything for us.”