After weeks of speculation, the Penrith Panthers announced a contract extension for Nathan Cleary until the end of 2024.
At twenty years of age, this year Cleary made his debut for the winning New South Wales Origin side.ย By the end of 2018 he appeared for the Panthers on 58 occasions.
This news is certain to re-ignite speculation that his father, Ivan, will link up at the club before his contract ends with the Wests Tigers in 2020.ย It was in October 2015 that Cleary senior’s contract was terminated by the Panthers with Anthony Griffin given the nod.
Panther fans will be delighted with this news as Cleary will continue to mature in his game management, something that has shown with James Maloney’s involvement at the club this year.
They will be looking to improve on their week 2 exit from the NRL Finals series in 2019.
REACTION
“This club and this community mean a lot to me. Panthers gave me the opportunity to debut as an 18-year-old and I will always hold that close to my heart.” – Nathan Cleary (Panthers website)
“This is a significant contract for Nathan but it’s also a major investment by Panthers in its own future as an NRL club, and it’s an important signing for the future of rugby league in Western Sydney.” – General Manager Phil Gould (Panthers website)
