Penrith’s premiership-winning streak may have come to an end but they are still the No.1 NRL club in the game according to the people who carry the most clout — their players.
This masthead can reveal that the Panthers finished atop the players union annual pulse survey, which ranks clubs according to a series of categories including their head coach, high performance staff, club facilities and psychological safety.
For the first time, the Rugby League Players Association revealed the top four clubs according to the respective playing groups.
Parramatta’s resurgence under Jason Ryles saw them finish in second spot in the NRL ahead of the Melbourne Storm and Canterbury Bulldogs.
Nathan Cleary’s Panthers came out on top of a players survey. Picture: NRL Photos
Nathan Cleary’s Panthers came out on top of a players survey. Picture: NRL Photos
The Eels also fared well in the women’s game, finishing second behind the Sydney Roosters. The Gold Coast and Brisbane rounded out the top four in the NRLW.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary received the ultimate tribute from his players when he was given an A by his playing group. The Panthers also received an A for their work in wellbeing and education.
Penrith chief executive Matt Cameron paid homage to Cleary for the work he has done in leading the club, whose recent streak of premierships came to an end after winning four successive titles.
“The Panthers are extremely proud to be number one ranked NRL club in this year’s RLPA Players’ Pulse survey,” Cameron said.
“Our position within the league is a direct reflection of the head coach Ivan Cleary's attitude towards player development off the field and the wellbeing and education manager Kevin Kingston's relentless work in this space.”
The Panthers, Eels, Storm and Bulldogs topped the players’ pulse survey for NRL clubs.
The Panthers, Eels, Storm and Bulldogs topped the players’ pulse survey for NRL clubs.
The results of the clubs not identified in the players’ pulse survey.
The results of the clubs not identified in the players’ pulse survey.
Roosters chief executive Joe Kelly added: “We are pleased that the Roosters have been recognised at the top of the RLPA’s player survey rankings in the NRLW competition.
“It’s a reflection of the standards we set as a club and the outstanding work John Strange (NRLW Head Coach), Chontelle Balbi (Wellbeing & Education Manager) and their staff do to provide an environment where our NRLW players can perform at their best and continue to improve.
“The Roosters have always prided ourselves on being a high-performance club on and off the field. That starts with the people, the programs and the support we put around our players so they have every opportunity to succeed.”
Players were asked to rank their clubs on a scale from A to F across a variety of areas. Only a handful of Fs were given out – three clubs, whose identity was kept secret, were given the lowest ranking for their facilities.
The Roosters, Eels, Titans and Broncos lead the way in the NRLW space.
The Roosters, Eels, Titans and Broncos lead the way in the NRLW space.
The results from the remainder of the NRLW franchises.
The results from the remainder of the NRLW franchises.
South Sydney finished atop the survey last year. The RLPA has advised clubs of the results of the survey but opted not to publicly shame those who finished at the bottom.
However, the hope is that the results will drive those clubs to improve their standards.
“Player feedback and continuous dialogue is essential to understanding the challenges faced across our game,” Dragons chief executive Tim Watsford said.
“The RLPA player survey gives us important insights into what our players and clubs are experiencing day to day.
“At the Dragons, we’re committed to examining every angle to improve within our playing group, our high performance systems, and the broader club environment.
“This together with ongoing assessment helps guide us toward being better, stronger, and more connected as an organisation
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