There is absolutely zero dispute right now that Penrith Panthers star halfback Nathan Cleary is no guarantee to remain at the club beyond the end of 2027.
That's not saying he is a certainty to leave, but with his father Ivan hanging up the coaching clipboard, Nathan admitting he is thinking about testing the market, his fiancee living abroad, Penrith's salary cap stretched and just maybe the thought of another challenge lingering in the back of his mind, a Cleary squared departure from the club's match day operations is certainly not off the table.
Sometimes in rugby league, things are a coincidence, and sometimes, they are not.
The fact Nathan Cleary has been talking about the potential of heading to November 1 uncontracted for the first time in his career for a couple of months now coincides roughly with the timeline of when his father would have been talking about, and ultimately decided, to not continue coaching, is not one of the times a coincidence has occurred.
If Cleary does decide to up sticks and leave the foot of the mountains, there are plenty of clubs who will chase his signature, but some potential homes stand out more than the rest.
Here are the options for Cleary.
8. Wests Tigers
If Cleary does elect to leave the Panthers, and wants to stay in Sydney, then one of the clubs who could be in for him are the Wests Tigers.
They are going to have money to play with - that's the first guarantee.
There is no Jarome Luai anymore, and his contract expiring at the same time as Cleary's could well set the merry go round in motion.
The Tigers certainly have a number of good options at the club. Adam Doueihi is the game's in-form half through the first half of 2026 to the point he got injured, while Latu Fainu and Javon Andrews are both at the club, but Cleary coming available with money to spend means they have to at the very least have a look.
It's unlikely, but not totally out of the question.
