Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary has shut down growing speculation linking him to a move to rugby union, insisting that switching codes is not currently on his radar, though he remains open to the idea later in his career.
The four-time NRL premiership-winning halfback, who is currently in camp with the NSW Blues for the 2025 State of Origin series, has recently been linked with a potential shift to European rugby union.
Reports have suggested Cleary could earn up to $2 million annually if he made the move abroad—a major pay rise even by elite NRL standards.
A move to Europe would also place Cleary closer to his partner, Matildas star Mary Fowler, who is currently based in England. Despite the rumours, Cleary made it clear that his focus remains squarely on rugby league and helping Penrith bounce back from early-season struggles.
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“I think I've got enough challenges in front of me playing rugby league,” Cleary told Newswire.
“I feel like I want to squeeze the most out of my rugby league potential as I can," Cleary said.
“I've put so much into it and it's been my passion for so long, so to then get to this stage where I feel like I'm probably playing my best footy and in the best position to play my best footy in the coming years, I don't want to waste that,” he said.
“Going back to Penrith and the way we started the year, that's a challenge in itself, and I've found motivation in that. You can't take winning for granted,” the NSW Blues halfback said.
In recent years, Rugby Australia has pursued a number of high-profile rugby league stars in an effort to boost its ranks ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup and the British and Irish Lions tour. While they succeeded in luring Joseph Suaalii, other targets like Joseph Manu have instead opted to explore overseas rugby opportunities.
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Cleary acknowledged following rugby union but made it clear his loyalty remains with the 13-man game.
“I have admiration for those guys and keep up with it, but I much prefer to watch rugby league any day of the week,” Cleary clarified.
“That's part of the reason why I hear this talk about me going to rugby union – and I don't really know where that's coming from – I think that I love rugby league too much to even process that right now,” he said.
“I do have an open mind that later in life maybe (I consider it), but definitely not at the moment,” Cleary said.
Nathan Cleary’s comments echo those made by Penrith coach Ivan Cleary earlier in the week, who confirmed his son would remain with the Panthers until at least the end of his current contract, which runs through the 2027 NRL season.