Nathan Cleary 'likely' to join Wests Tigers and unite with father Ivan - NRL.com report Michael Di Lonardo
Published on Jul. 29, 2018
Phil Gould has given him his blessing and Nathan Cleary is expected to act on it with reports the Panthers playmaker is ‘’likely’’ to join Wests Tigers at the end of next season to link up with father and NRL coach Ivan.
On Friday, Panthers supremo Gould revealed he won’t stand in the way of the rising star if he chooses to play under his father at Concord, with the pair reaching a verbal agreement on a possible move.
Both Cleary’s have held no secrets about their desire to form a fNathan can't talk to rival clubs until then but there’s no restrictions on dinner table sales pitches at the Cleary household and The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield revealed the pair are preparing to link up in 2020.
‘’I’m just hearing more and more out of the people around the Cleary family that it is more likely now that he (Nathan) will leave Penrith at the end of next season when his contract is up because he does want to play for his dad at the Wests Tigers as long as his dad is there,’’ Rothfield told Fox Sports’ Controversy Corner.
‘’…I honestly think both Cleary’s will be at the Wests Tigers. And do you know what I think a bit of it is about? I don’t think the Cleary family has fully got over the fact that Gus Gould sacked Ivan and I think that’s part of this.’’
Sporting News Australia’s The Repeat Set revealed on Friday that the Cleary family is still holding a grudge on Penrith over Ivan’s sacking in 2015 and it could prove to be the sticking point in Nathan re-signing.
If he opts to extend his deal, Penrith may be forced to offload players to make way for what is expected to be a multi-million dollar deal with funds tied up in their 2020 salary cap.
Nathan’s decision will also have a domino effect on the future of Tigers playmaker Luke Brooks who has been earmarked as the player likely to be moved on to make room at Concord.
While he has been impressed by Brooks’ season, Ivan and his No.7 are understanding of the fast-paced nature of player movements.
"He (Brooks) knows exactly what the story is,’’ Cleary said on Tuesday.
"Rugby league in terms of retention and recruitment, it's an on-going circus really. Every day there is a discussion and it's just how we roll."
Tigers legend Steve Roach is hopeful the club finds a place for both halves if Nathan does unite with his father after Brooks delivered on his earlier expectations.
‘’I feel a little bit sorry for him. I don’t know how they’re going to fit them (Brooks, Cleary and Josh Reynolds) in and obviously they are going to try and fit them in,’’ Roach said.
‘’Luke Brooks, now we expected a lot of that kid when he came in, finally this season he’s taken control of that side and they’re playing a lot better.
‘’Brooks was the only kid really (who stayed) with all that stuff (in 2017) with the Tigers. I’d hate to see him go.
‘’Surely you’d be able to fit them both in? Cleary is a 92kg halfback, you can play him at five-eighth.’’ather-son combination, attracting links to the Tigers, Roosters and Brisbane as the November window for negotiations draws closer.
