Cleary: ‘I don’t owe them an apology’

The spotlight on Ivan Cleary continues to glow in 2019, after his distasteful departure from Wests Tigers to link up with Penrith in the off-season, compounded further by Penrith's lacklustre start to the new season.

As as his current and former club prepare to do battle at Penrith Stadium on Saturday, Cleary believes he still went about his exit from the Tigers as best he could.

“I don’t owe anyone an apology I don’t think, but if [Tigers fans] are unhappy I respect that as well," Cleary told reporters earlier this week.

“I was open and honest to everyone who needed to know. The circumstances at the time didn’t allow me to speak publicly about it and that was for the protection of everyone involved.

"It’s been six months and we’re still talking about it. The fact that it was dragged through the press for so long, that’d be the first thing I’d change. But sometimes you’ve got to go with the circumstances as they were and it was just one of those situation."

Considering the circumstances that surrounded his highly scrutinised move to the foot of the mountains, Cleary refuses to believe any animosity between he and the Tigers still exists.

"I think I've got a really good relationship with those boys, that's just normal."

"All my interactions with them since then have been positive."

It will certainly make for some interesting commentary come Saturday, particularly if Penrith are unable to get the job done at home and consequently fall to a 1-4 start to the season.

The home side will welcome back Viliame Kikau for the first time this year, which is certain to add some grunt and defensive muscle on the edges - something the Panthers have been deprived of in the opening rounds.