Ivan Cleary has confirmed he will bring an end to his tenure as coach of the Penrith Panthers, after an official announcement on Wednesday afternoon.
Cleary will finish as head coach of the Panthers at the completion of his current contract in 2027.
Cleary is set to pursue new opportunities outside of club coaching and is unlikely to join a rival NRL side. Potential future pathways could include representative football or a coaching director role.
The Panthers are expected to look internally for his successor, with assistant coach Peter Wallaceemerging as a leading candidate in a possible succession plan.
Cleary leaves behind one of the greatest coaching legacies in modern rugby league history. Since returning to Penrith in 2019, the 55-year-old has guided the club to 138 wins and just 47 losses. With still a season and a half remaining in this contract.
Under his tenure, the Penrith Panthers reached five consecutive NRL Grand Finals from 2020 to 2024, winning a record four straight premierships between 2021 and 2024. The club also secured multiple minor premierships and established itself as the dominant force of the modern NRL era under coach Ivan Cleary.
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