Cleary could face Tigers in Rd 4
Ivan Cleary’s days at Wests Tigers appear numbered but if he does leave the club as expected in coming weeks to join Penrith, he will be reunited with his former club soon enough.
The Australian understands the Panthers and Tigers have been drawn to face each other in round four of next year’s premiership, setting up the mouth-watering prospect that Cleary could coach against his former club while the wounds are still relatively fresh from his departure.
The Tigers are expected to make a call on Cleary before the bulk of their squad return to pre-season training in early November. It gives the club about a fortnight to thrash out his future — chief executive Justin Pascoe has been overseas but returns to work today, where his first order of business will be sorting out the club’s coaching situation.
The most likely scenario remains that Cleary will be ushered out the door, leaving him to face the fury of Tigers fans a month into the new season, the only saving grace that the game will be played at Panthers Stadium.
Cleary will then remarkably avoid a trip to any of the Tigers’ home grounds — Parramatta Stadium, Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown Stadium — because the return match between the two sides will be played during the Magic Round, when all eight games are held at Suncorp Stadium.
The games between the Tigers and Panthers are among the most intriguing as the NRL draw for next season is released today. The grand final rematch between Melbourne and the Sydney Roosters will be played on Good Friday, with South Sydney and Canterbury to play their traditional game later that night. The meeting between the grand final opponents will mark Cooper Cronk’s first appearance at AAMI Park since he left the Storm at the end of the 2017 season.
It will also signify the first time former Storm assistant Adam O’Brien coaches against Melbourne — he has joined the staff of the Sydney Roosters to work alongside Trent Robinson.
The Easter weekend was also meant to signify the opening game for Parramatta at the newly built Western Sydney Stadium, although negotiations are still continuing between the Eels and the state government over hiring fees for the ground.
The opening round has already been released, the season starting with a game between Melbourne and Brisbane at AAMI Park. Souths and the Roosters will play on Friday night, pitting ex-Rabbitohs back rower Angus Crichton against his former club.
Should Cleary join Penrith before the start of next season, his opening game would be against Parramatta at Panthers Stadium on a Sunday afternoon. Round one culminates in a Sunday night game between the Gold Coast and Canberra at Cbus Super Stadium.
Meanwhile, The Tigers are still weighing up their coaching future beyond Cleary, Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett and premiership-winner Michael Maguire neck-and-neck for the role. Bennett would be a major coup for the club.
However, he has told players and staff at the Broncos that he intends to see out the final year of his deal and it would mark a major about-face were he to walk out on the club.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...4/news-story/64aca475d9f5eff4407b1aaa4cb909ac
