The Penrith Panthers have reportedly extended the contract of a veteran forward after the club claimed their fourth consecutive title on Sunday night, defeating the Melbourne Storm in a blockbuster clash.

A key member of the club’s success throughout the past five seasons, Matthew Eisenhuth was the last remaining player on the Panthers roster this season without a contract for next year.

While Scott Sorensen replaced him at the last minute for the 2024 NRL Grand Final, the forward is finally on the receiving end of great news as the squad continues to celebrate the record-breaking victory. 

According to News Corp, Eisenhuth has signed a two-year contract extension with the Panthers where he will see out the remainder of his career in what is likely to be his last NRL contract.

The decision to re-sign with the club comes after the 32-year-old told Zero Tackle earlier this year that he still has a few good years left in him before he decides to hang up the boots on his career.

“I’m definitely not ready to hang them up yet. I still think I’ve got a few good years left in me, so we’ll see what happens,” Eisenhuth told this publication.

“There’s probably higher priority targets to get in this club at the moment (and) a few boys that they probably want to lock up, but when the time comes, I’d be happy to stay.

“But at the same time, I’m not getting any younger, so I’ll probably go with the security, but I don’t really want to leave. If the security’s here, I’ll stay here.”

Regarded as one of the most resilient players in the competition, his journey began with the Parramatta Eels, but he wouldn’t make his first-grade debut until the age of 24 with the Wests Tigers after overcoming fears that he may never have been able to lace up the boots again.

Since then, he has played 134 times in the NRL, 64 of those coming from his time with the Panthers and the remaining 70 from a four-year stint with the Wests Tigers – he has made 18 appearances this season.

A late omission from Sunday’s team in favour of Scott Sorensen, Eisenhuth previously told this publication how hard it has been not to play in an NRL Grand Final during the club’s premiership victories in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 against the Rabbitohs, Eels, Broncos and Melbourne Storm.

“The first one – I was playing a lot that year – probably hurt the most but once you have a little bit of time to reflect on it, my perspective is that you don’t get to be a part of teams like this too often,” he added.

“After that one you sit back, reflect and since then we’ve gone on and won two more and I’ve played big parts in all three years.

“I don’t know how many NRL games I’ve played across those three years and we’ve won comps. As much as you’d want to be a part of them, I feel like I’ve played my part in helping the boys getting them there.

“I still party like I’ve played in it anyway. The memories will be there for a lifetime.

“I can tell my kids, my grandkids that I was part of something special so it’s something I’ll look back on at the end of my career and be pretty stocked that I was part of it.”