Daine Laurie has opened up on his Wests Tigers exit and why it was an “easy decision” to return to the Panthers — even if it is only on a one-year deal.
In an interview with foxsports.com.au the 24-year-old agreed that last season was “100 per cent” his most challenging since breaking into the NRL.
Laurie went from being a joint winner of the Tigers’ Kelly-Barnes Medal in 2021 and being voted Players’ Player in 2022 to losing his spot in the 17 to a rookie in 2023.
The Tigers were interested in hanging onto him but only on a one-year deal.
The Panthers only had one year to offer too, but Laurie couldn’t pass up the chance to get on board with the three-peat champions and return to where his career began
I wanted a couple of years but they weren’t offering it,” Laurie said.
“As soon as Penrith offered to sign me I took it with both hands even though it’s only one year too. To be with a team like Penrith, it’s hard to say no to.”
The Grafton Ghosts junior first joined the Panthers’ system when he played for their SG Ball side in 2017.
He rose up the ranks to make his NRL debut in 2020 before signing with the Tigers in a bid to become a “regular first-grader.”
Laurie got exactly that. He played 19 games in each of his first two seasons and went into 2023 more confident than ever.
In fact, in an interview with foxsports.com.au last February, Laurie declared “I reckon this will probably be one of my best years.”
But Laurie’s season didn’t go to plan.
He started the year at fullback but he had an exciting young player by the name of Jahream Bula hot on his heels.
In that same interview last February Laurie actually said “you never know you might see him play first grade” when asked about Bula.
An knee injury suffered in Round 2 was the beginning of the end for Laurie at the Tigers.
Charlie Staines replaced him at fullback at first, then Adam Doueihi had a stint there before 20-year-old Bula was unleashed in Round 8.
