Roarty leaving Panthers amid dream
run

Second rower Ben Roarty is quitting high-flying Penrith in the midst of its dream National Rugby League season to secure his playing future in England. The Panthers have agreed to give 28-year-old Roarty an early release because they can't guarantee him a contract for next season.

Roarty has been named on the interchange bench for this week's clash with the Warriors at home, where the fourth-placed Panthers will attempt to achieve a club record seventh straight win. But then he'll head to England next week to join Huddersfield.

Roarty says he was offered a spot for the rest of this season if I could start immediately, with a two year contract on top of that. Penrith chief executive Shane Richardson says the club has released Roarty early to help him as it couldn't assure him of a deal for 2004.