BOMBSHELL;Biggest we have seen’: Panthers’ Cleary position… as rival’s ‘astronomical’ poaching bids loom.
“There’s no downplaying this, it’s going to be huge”.
That is Braith Anasta’s assessment of the NRL’s looming November 1 free agency frenzy, with a mountain of talent set to hit the open market.
The Perth Bears are armed with a war chest, having struggled to sign a marquee star, while the PNG Chiefs have tax-free dollars to throw at big-name players.
And one name sits atop of every club’s dream signings wishlist — Nathan Cleary.
“I think it will be the biggest (free agency) we have seen in terms of dollars,” The Australian’s Brent Read said on NRL360.
“We have seen what Hudson Young has been offered, there’s guys who are going to head to market that are going to be offered a lot more money than that.
“We could know by then what the salary cap is going to be in 2028… there could be some astronomical figures on the table.”
Cleary will undoubtedly be the subject of those “astronomical” contract offers, with the superstar halfback set to hit the open market after making a shock call on his looming negotiations.
“I don’t think he wants to sit down and start talks yet,” Read explained.
“I think he now wants to get the season out of the way, but then he is going to be in the World Cup so that is going to make things problematic.”
Cleary also told the SMH that his contract decision was “not something I want to rush”.
“It’s a big decision, and I feel like one thing has rolled into another. The Origin period was so hectic, and when we came out of it, we weren’t playing our best footy. My mind has just been elsewhere,” he said.
“I have another whole year of Penrith anyway, and it’s always felt like it’s so far away, but I guess it is creeping up a bit now. I’m pretty patient with it.”
While the superstar’s future hasn’t been a focus for him, it has been well and truly under the magnifying glass across the rugby league world.
And a monumental valuation was even floated that would see the 28-year-old blow salary records out of the water.
“I think he will stay. Penrith are very confident he will stay,” Read said.
“I heard Phil Gould say the other night that he will get $2.5 million on the open market, which I found insane and he’s the Bulldogs head of footy.
I suppose he knows what he is talking about, ‘in a heartbeat’ he said, ‘he’d get that in a heartbeat’… it seemed a bit outlandish.”
Read also doubled down on the Panthers’ stance, saying: “Look, they are very confident they will keep him, they don’t think he is going anywhere.
“But there is also mixed messages suggesting he is willing to explore PNG.”
However, NRL360 host Braith Anasta was perplexed by Cleary’s potential decision to re-sign with the Panthers.
“It still doesn’t make any sense to me, it really doesn’t,” Anasta said.
With Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin also coming off-contract, Penrith are facing a salary cap squeeze to retain their marquee stars.
In the past, the Panthers have lost multiple elite players, unable to compete with the lucrative deals on offer from rivals in order to keep their salary cap structure in tact.
But Penrith have a trump card up their sleeve, with the arrival of Jett Cleary in 2027 giving his brother food for thought.
The younger Cleary made his NRL debut in the Warriors’ victory over the Knights — and now forging a halves partnership with his Origin star sibling could become a reality.
“He might take my spot after Sunday. He was letting me know about it as well,” Cleary said.
“We’ll see what happens. That’s something to weigh up as well.
“There is that [appeal to play together]. I never even considered him playing first grade, let alone train alongside him and play alongside him.
“That’s an exciting prospect. It’s still a long way to go, even for him, just to play regular first grade. We’ll see what happens.
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