Playing under Cleary would be “difficult”: Brooks

Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks said it would be "difficult" to play under Ivan Cleary should he agree to coach the Panthers from 2021.

Cleary is contracted at the Tigers until 2020 but is in discussions to join the Panthers in 2021.

Brooks said having a coach with one eye on another club would be a distraction.

“It’s a tough one. I think it could be difficult if we knew that a coach is already going two years down the track,” Brooks told Fox Sports NRL Tonight.

“We don’t know if it’s going to happen but if it does we will worry about it when it gets to that point.”

Cleary has been heavily linked to the Panthers since Anthony Griffin was sensationally sacked midway through the season.

Assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo was promoted to interim coach for the remainder of 2018 and guided the Panthers to the second week of the finals, where they lost to the Sharks.

Ciraldo had reportedly been offered to coach the Panthers for at least 2019.

Should the Tigers allow Cleary to opt out of his contract early, they would seek compensation from the Panthers in the form of cash and players.