Nathan Cleary, the 27-year-old star halfback for the Penrith Panthers, finds himself at the center of speculation regarding his future in rugby league. He’s already in the process of compiling a Hall of Fame career with three State of Origin series wins and four premierships. Now, rumors about his possible switch to rugby union have begun to fly. The discussion intensifies as Penrith prepares to face the Wests Tigers, a team featuring former Panthers players Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva.
Ivan Cleary, Nathan’s father and coach, recently addressed the rumors surrounding his son’s career plans. Various reports indicated that Nathan would be making a code change. Ivan assured us that Nathan is 100% committed to Penrith and has two more years locked in on his contract.
Nathan’s going to be in the Legislature for another two years so that’s where he’s gonna be, Ivan stated emphatically. He further emphasized Nathan’s dedication to improving his skills within the league, saying, “Just watching him play every week, he’s always trying to get better and loves what he’s doing.”
Next week’s game against the Wests Tigers is crucial. Of late-summer origin, it stars Penrith taking on a side that at the time was actually above them on the ladder—13th place for the Tigers, and 15th for the Panthers. Turuva, along with teammate Jarome Luai, was instrumental in taking Penrith to their fourth straight premiership win. One thing is for sure, they will take the serious competitive edge to the battlefield.
Ivan similarly admitted that the changes Luai made in his game have helped turn the Wests Tigers around. He remarked, “Probably started last year when (Luai) started kicking the ball more. His kicking game has definitely improved over the last couple of years.”
Ivan in fact hasn’t completely closed the door on Nathan’s rugby union jaunt becoming permanent. He underlined that those policy guardrails aren’t up for consideration at this point. “Nath’s a pretty open-minded kid but that’s down the track maybe, who knows?” he noted. Ivan added with a hint of humor about Nathan’s potential switch: “He’d just have to avoid all the rucks, just kick and goal kick I suppose and he’d go alright.”
Nathan’s stock in rugby league is through the roof. For Ivan, there is still plenty left to accomplish in the sport. He stated, “I don’t think he’s ever played (rugby union),” suggesting that any transition would require significant adjustment.
Nathan Cleary is doing well on the field with the Penrith Panthers. Fans and analysts alike will be looking toward the next chapter of his career, particularly given speculation that he may yet switch to rugby union.
