Nathan Cleary has revealed he is in no hurry to sign a new contract with the Penrith Panthers, as the Australian rugby league star addressed speculation surrounding his future and the possibility of a cross-code switch to rugby union.
The Australia national rugby league team playmaker, whose current deal with Penrith runs until the end of the 2027 NRL season, admitted he remains focused on the present despite growing talk about his long-term plans. While an exit from the Panthers appears unlikely in the near future, Cleary has previously been linked with a potential move to rugby union, with former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones once joking he would personally travel from Coogee to Penrith to convince him to change codes.
The four-time premiership-winning half-back is currently undertaking pre-season training with the Panthers but recently travelled to Adelaide to participate in a pre-tournament event at LIV Golf Adelaide. During the event, Cleary played alongside stand-in Australian Test cricket captain Steve Smith and spent time with compatriot Cam Smith, appearing relaxed as he discussed his future.
Speaking at the golf event, Cleary emphasised that he sees no urgency in negotiating a contract extension.
“In my mind, there’s no need to make a decision right now,” Cleary said at LIV Golf Adelaide on Thursday.
“I don’t want to make decisions about my future too quickly, or jump the gun on anything.
“At the end of the day, I love where I’m at right now. To me, I haven’t really thought too much about my future because I still have two years to run on my contract. I understand people will start to talk about it, but it’s not in my mind at all – it still seems so far away.
“I look at how I want to be once I retire, I want to have no regrets – and that’s with the way I play, my preparation, whether I’m enjoying myself, contract negotiations… it’s a more holistic thing rather than just about contracts. I never want it to become a distraction. [But] it still feels so far away.”
Cleary’s comments follow a recent appearance on the UNSCRIPTED podcast, hosted by former NRL player Josh Mansour, where he was asked directly about the possibility of leaving the Panthers.
‘Ummmm, I’m not sure,’ he said.
‘I would like to be [stay at the Panthers], but then it’s like the no regrets thing. Would I get to the end of my career and think: “Ah I wish I had tried something different?”
‘At this point in time, I’m happy being a Panther, it’s home to me. I couldn’t see myself in another jersey… but you just never know. So much can happen in a week let alone two years. So I’m still contracted for two years.’
The 28-year-old also reiterated his commitment to Penrith’s continued success after leading the club to a fourth consecutive premiership title in 2024, insisting the team’s dominant era is far from over.
When pressed further on the possibility of switching to rugby union in the future, Cleary maintained an open stance.
‘I don’t know. I’m open to it.
‘I’m open to different possibilities, whereas, in the past I might have been like: “I’m locked into this”. But as I’ve said, that thing about having no regrets really drives me. At the moment it’s driving me to do my best for the Panthers and build that dynasty even more.
‘I don’t know, we’ll see what happens in due time.’
Despite ongoing speculation about his future, Cleary’s comments suggest his immediate focus remains firmly on continuing his success with the Panthers, while keeping his long-term options open as he approaches the final years of his current contract.
