Penrith Panthers fans will breathe a sigh of relief as Nathan Cleary is set to begin contract talks with the club for an extension.
Cleary headlines a list of star players on the Panthers' books who are off-contract at the end of 2027, with fears rivals will come looking to poach the NRL's greatest talent come November.
The reigning Wally Lewis Medal winner has kept fans guessing about where his future lies in 2028 after refusing to rule out other options in past months, creating speculation about a move to rugby, the Super League, or a switch to NRL clubs.
It means from November 1 this year, rival NRL teams can formally negotiate with Cleary for a 2028 contract, but it looks like Penrith will get in first before they have a chance to table a deal, with CODE Sports' Brent Read revealing the latest.
“There are talks this week with Isaah Yeo, and then they will work out a plan moving forward for Nathan Cleary,” Read said on NRL 360.
“Those talks will kick off really soon with Nathan Cleary. I think they are very confident they will get a deal done with Nathan. My expectation is he may sign before November 1.”
The club also has a bunch of other stars without a contract so far for 2028, including Brian To'o, Isaah Yeo, Blaize Talagi, Liam Martin, Isaiah Papali'i and Moses Leota, who has been permitted to explore his options.
Given Penrith's incredible run of four-straight premierships from 2021 to 2024, the players' value has inflated, putting added pressure on the Panthers' salary cap to retain all their stars.
It was a contributing factor in why they had to let players such as Jarome Luai, Apisai Koroisau, Viliame Kikau and Stephen Crichton go throughout their premiership run to relieve financial tension.
Adding to the speculation is a potential mass exit of players, as Ivan Cleary is stepping down from his coaching role after 2027, which could play a significant role in Nathan planning his future.
It has spread fears the core group of elite premiership winners would be split up, but it is understood Cleary is keen to remain at the foot of the mountains, despite not putting a label on what his future holds just yet.
“I still don't know. I'm still in the process of thinking it over. I'm not sure yet,” Cleary said to the NewsWire following last week's win over Parramatta.
“I wasn't born in Auckland, but I grew up a fair bit there, and I will admit I was a Warriors fan growing up.
“But at the end of the day, even if that was an option, I'd be blocking my little brother's pathway. I'm not too sure about that.
“I want to put a bit more thought into it. The last few weeks there has been a bit of a comedown from Origin, and I've been trying to get back into routine with the boys and get back into consistent training.
“That sort of (contract) stuff will work itself out in the background.”
The NRL's new TV rights deal is expected to inflate the salary cap from $12 million to a reported $15.5 million.
The extra money flowing into the game will allow the NRL's greatest talents, including Cleary, to demand a higher price tag, and will end up the beneficiaries of the latest broadcast cycle.
It means if Cleary holds off on signing with Penrith and goes to November 1, clubs may throw a ridiculous price tag at him to lure his services, including upwards of $1.5 million to $2 million a season.
