Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary has not ruled out a switch to rugby union, aiming to finish his illustrious career with no regrets.
The star halfback has just about completed everything there is to do in the 13-man code, and revealed on Josh Mansour's podcast, Unscripted, he is open to the idea of exploring new horizons.
"I don't know. I'm open to it, I'm open to different possibilities, whereas maybe in the past I've been locked into things," Cleary said.
"I'm quite open, that thing about having no regrets drives me, at the moment it's driving me to do my best for the Panthers and build that dynasty even more."
Speculation has been mounting for quite some time regarding Cleary's future in the NRL, with his well-documented relationship with Manchester City star Mary Fowler playing a pivotal role in his potential move to the Northern Hemisphere.
It looks like if Cleary were to leave the Panthers, it wouldn't be for another NRL club, but rather for him to leave the competition to either represent the Super League or international rugby union.
When Cleary was asked about his long-term future at the Panthers, he stated he couldn't imagine himself playing for another NRL club; however, a lot can happen in a short amount of time in the code.
"I'm not sure. I would like to be (a Panther for life), but then it's the sort of thing about when you get to the end of your career, if there's no regrets. Would I get to the end of my career and think, I wish I tried something different?" Cleary said.
"At this point in time, I'm so happy being a Panther, and I couldn't see myself in another jersey, but you never know. So much can happen in the rugby league world in a week, let alone two years.
"I'm still contracted for two years, and at this point in time, I'm still trying to squeeze the juice out of the lemon, enjoy it, enjoy the journey we're on as a club, but also me as a player, but we'll see what happens."
It is expected Cleary will honour the two remaining years of his contract; however, after that, could see multiple clubs bidding for his services in the NRL and Super League.
