They may have fallen short of a historic fifth straight premiership, but the Penrith Panthers have officially been named the No.1 NRL club in the game, according to the people whose opinions matter most - the players.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the RLPA's annual Players' Pulse Survey has revealed that the Panthers finished atop the league-wide rankings, which assess clubs across key areas including head coach performance, high-performance staff, facilities, wellbeing, and psychological safety.
It is the first time the RLPA has released a public look at the top four clubs based on player feedback.
The Panthers claimed the No.1 ranking on the men's side, edging out the Parramatta Eels, who stormed into second place following their resurgence under new head coach Jason Ryles.
The Melbourne Storm and Canterbury Bulldogs rounded out the top four.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary received top-tier marks from his squad, earning an A rating from his playing group.
Penrith also received an A in wellbeing and education, categories the RLPA places heavy emphasis on.
Panthers CEO Matt Cameron said the ranking reflected Cleary's long-term leadership and the club's commitment to development both on and off the field.
“The Panthers are extremely proud to be number one ranked in this year's RLPA survey,” Cameron said.
“Our position within the league is a direct reflection of Ivan Cleary's attitude toward player development off the field, and the relentless work of our wellbeing and education staff.”
