Star forward Bryce Cartwright has left Penrith effective immediately and signed with the Gold Coast for the next four NRL seasons.

Cartwright, a member of one of the Panthers’ great rugby league families, will link with his former under-20s coach Garth Brennan at the Titans despite having four years left to run on his contract.

“It’s obviously disappointing to be releasing a player like Bryce Cartwright, however, we appreciate his desire to seek such a change,” Panthers general manager Phil Gould said.

“We hope that this move proves successful for Bryce, both on and off the field.

“Hopefully some time in the future he finds his way back to Panthers. We wish Bryce and his young family all the very best.”

Cartwright has endured a difficult 12 months of scrutiny off the field in Sydney, and it’s understood the matters have taken their toll on the 23-year-old.

It comes just three months after fellow Panthers star junior Matt Moylan was released by the club to join Cronulla, also part-way through a contract that expired in 2021.

Cartwright played 69 games for Penrith since making his debut in 2014, scoring 12 tries.

His uncle John, who won a premiership with Penrith in 1991, was the Titans’ inaugural coach but left the club in 2014.