Penrith Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary has revealed that son Nathan will not be going anywhere until at least the end of his current contract.
Speculation has been rampant in recent days that the star halfback could chase a move to the 15-man game in Europe.
His partner Mary Fowler lives in England as a football player, and Nathan has previously expressed that rugby is a sport he could see himself having a crack at one day.
Ivan didn't go as far as to rule out the possibility of an eventual move to rugby union, but told SEN Radio that there is no chance of it happening prior to the end of 2027, when his current deal expires with the four-time defending premiers who are enduring a difficult 2025 NRL season.
โNathan's here for another two years, so that's where he's going to be," the premiership-winning coach said on air.
โNat's a pretty open-minded kid. That's down the track, so maybe, who knows? But he's contracted here for another two years, so that's what he's doing.
โI don't think he reads too much stuff (so it doesn't worry him). He's got his own little circle, so I don't think he's too fussed.
โI'm sure he'd be able to play OK (if he did go to rugby). I don't think he's ever played. He'd have to avoid all the rucks, kick and goal kick, so he'd go all right.โ
The State of Origin champion halfback not moving on until at least the end of 2027 means there is time for the Panthers to lock him down to a new deal, but also, that there is no chance of him being available for the 2027 Rugby World Cup with the Wallabies.
That's something Joseph Suaalii switched to rugby union for ahead of this season, while he could also feature in the British and Irish Lions tour.
Rugby union at one point had a long list of NRL players they were going to target for this three-year period, but the ARU only managed to land the services of Suaalii, missing every other player they chased.
They have since lost Mark Nawaqanitawase, Carter Gordon and Nathan Lawson back the other way, while other rugby players from New Zealand in Will Warbrick and Moses Leo are currently with the Melbourne Storm.
The rumours around a potential code switch for Cleary are unlikely to go away anytime soon, with incoming Wallabies head coach Les Kiss confirming he'd like to see the star halfback in the 15-man game.
