Adam Blair's signing left Wests Tigers above the salary cap for 2012, forcing five off-contract players to consider leaving the club.
Beau Ryan recalled that group on Triple M Radio as Chris Heighington, Bryce Gibbs, Todd Payten, Wade McKinnon and himself.
"They said, we are over the cap for 2012. We had signed Adam Blair."
The club wanted them to stay but gave permission to find new teams. "Straight away as a player, you go, that's really hard," Ryan said.
Ryan and Heighington shared manager Wayne Beavis, who drove them to Penrith to meet Gus Gould. They subsequently reached individual deals with the Panthers.
"We got taken around there, and everyone individually did their deals," Ryan said.
However, departures elsewhere enabled the Tigers to reverse their position, allowing both players to remain for the 2011 season.
Gibbs joined Cronulla in 2012, while McKinnon finished his career with Hull FC in England. Payten retired after 260 games, including 151 for the Tigers.