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.
2. New Zealand Warriors
The idea of Cleary joining the Warriors at the end of his Panthers' contract is one that has been floated already among fans across the Tasman.
Realists think it's unlikely, but the chance of it happening surely can't have been hurt in recent days when Luke Metcalf confirmed he would make the switch to the St George Illawarra Dragons at the end of this year.
The Warriors, are, in fairness, in the process of re-signing Tanah Boyd, but Cleary grew up in New Zealand and could well feel drawn to the club.
He would become a national hero overnight if he could deliver the Warriors their first premiership.
