Daine Laurie will return to Penrith in 2024 as Wests Tigers continue their search for a new halves pairing.
Capable of playing either five-eighth or fullback, Laurie initially left the Panthers at the end of 2020 in a player swap with centre Paul Momirovski and returns on a one-year contract.
He has played 43 of his 46 NRL games for the Tigers but fell down the pecking order under new coach Tim Sheens this season and had not been re-signed beyond 2023.
The 24-year-old has played only five games this season.
Sheens was tight-lipped on reports Laurie would return to the Panthers when quizzed earlier this week but the Panthers announced his acquisition on Friday afternoon.
“It’s always rewarding to see a former Panther return home to the club, and we believe Daine can flourish in the Panthers environment,' Penrith chief executive Matt Cameron said.
Laurie's deal positions him as a possible successor to Jarome Luai in the halves if the Panthers are unable to retain both he and star fullback Dylan Edwards beyond 2024.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary had been confident of re-signing Luai earlier in the season but the NSW representative will be free to negotiate with rival clubs from November.
Laurie's new deal takes him out of the Tigers' halves equation for 2024.
Wests are searching for a new pairing after Adam Doueihi went down with a long-term knee injury in April and Luke Brooks signed with Manly.
Penrith's back-up halfback Jack Cogger and ex-Canberra playmaker Aidan Sezer are reportedly on the joint venture club's radar.
