NRL in shock as Cleary announces departure

Panthers Prepare Major Club Announcement as Ivan Cleary Reportedly Set to Depart.

Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has reportedly informed the club that he intends to step away from his role.

The Panthers have scheduled an urgent media conference for 2pm (AEST), where the four-time premiership-winning coach is expected to formally address the decision.

According to reports from Nine Network, Cleary is expected to remain with the club until the completion of his current contract, which runs through to the end of the 2027 NRL season.

Cleary has previously indicated an interest in transitioning into a football or coaching director role in the future.

Reports also suggest it is unlikely he will accept a coaching position with a rival NRL club.

According to Code Sports, Penrith is expected to begin planning for the future by developing assistant coach Peter Wallace as a potential long-term successor.

The reported move could also have implications for star halfback Nathan Cleary, whose long-term future at the club is now under increased scrutiny.

The New South Wales State of Origin playmaker becomes eligible to test the open market from November 1 and is expected to attract some of the biggest contract offers in rugby league history.

Penrith officials in February went public with their campaign to lock both Clearys into long term contracts.

It appears that effort has failed.

Penrith is fighting a battle on multiple fronts with the club also in a battle to hold onto some of their biggest names, including Liam Martin, Brian To’o and Isaah Yeo.

Ivan and Nathan in 2022 signed five-year deals to remain a father-son duo at Penrith.

That deal was reportedly worth around $10 million.

With the NRL coaching merry-go-round already costing two coaches their jobs this season, Cleary will suddenly be the most in-demand mentor in the sport.

Penrith chief executive Matt Cameron said in December the club would be doing all it can to retain the father-son duo.

“That’s my job,” he told news.com.au.

“We don’t sit in recruitment meetings with the coach at one end of the table and go, ‘What’s your son doing?’ We don’t talk like that.

“But in saying that, I’m selfishly planning that they’re here through the next cap cycle. I have no reason to think they won’t be.”

Ivan and Nathan led the Panthers to within a whisker of another grand final appearance last year, where they fell short against premiers Brisbane in a rollercoaster preliminary final.

The club was chasing an extraordinary fifth consecutive Grand Final victory.

Cleary has led Penrith to an unparalleled period of dominance at the top of the NRL.

After an unsuccessful first stint at Penrith in 2012-15, Cleary returned to the foot of the mountains in 2019 and helped the Panthers become the most successful team of the modern rugby league era.

A grand final loss to Melbourne was followed by four consecutive NRL premierships, a feat not seen since the Dragons in the 60s.

Cleary also took the New Zealand Warriors to the 2011 NRL Grand Final and coached the Wests Tigers for two seasons in 2017-18.

He has coached 482 NRL games with a 58 per cent win rate.