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Ivan Cleary has labelled prospective Panther David Fifita a “marquee player” as the Gold Coast wrecking ball prepares to make a call on his NRL future in the coming days.
To remain at the Titans in 2025, barnstorming second-rower Fifita must trigger a player option in his contract by round 10, which begins on Thursday.
The 24-year-old flew to Sydney and met Panthers officials on Sunday evening, with the triple reigning premiers in a position to make a lucrative offer now that James Fisher-Harris is leaving to join the Warriors in 2025.
The Panthers are understood to have tabled Fifita a long-term deal worth an estimated $850,000 a season from 2025 but Cleary held his cards close to his chest when pressed on Monday.
“It’s obviously a very sensitive issue, all recruitment,” the Penrith coach said.
“It affects a lot of people at clubs, players, agents, families. I think we’ve probably filled our quota for recruitment stories this year so I’m not going to discuss it today.”
Fifita could slot into Penrith’s left second-row spot, which has featured a rotating cast since Viliame Kikau joined Canterbury for 2023.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Scott Sorensen is currently the first-choice second-rower on that edge, though he arrived at the club as a middle forward and could be switched back to accommodate Fifita’s arrival.
“He’s a marquee player,” Cleary said of Fifita
Regardless of the prospective recruit, Cleary was not opposed to tweaking his side for 2025, having learned from the slow start to last season that followed multiple player exits.
“We’re always looking to evolve,” he said.
“If you’re just staying the same, you’re going to get passed. There’s always a danger if you do that too much, you lose track of what you’re good at, too.
“It’s a bit of a balance. We got that a little bit wrong early last year.”
It’s an unfamiliar position for the NRL’s heavyweight side, famed for its ability to scout and develop elite junior prospects; only six players who made their debuts elsewhere have won a grand final with the Panthers in the last three years.
The funds to lure a big fish have also eluded the Panthers in recent years as their local talents’ pay packets have increased.
Cleary credited Kurt Capewell and Api Koroisau’s arrivals for the 2020 season as the last major arrivals at the club, though a case could be made that it hasn’t been since James Maloney in 2018 that a household name was lured to Penrith.
“It’s different,” Cleary said of the current situation.
“Our mandate at the club is to build from within.
“We spend a lot of time and money and effort in that regard and we still will. But from time to time, if you don’t have that, you’ve got to look outside.”
Phil Gould says he will consult his lawyer and challenge his $20,000 fine for making “destructive” on-air comments about the NRL.
The veteran media panellist and Canterbury football boss called the NRL and its rules “stupid” five times during a rant on Channel Nine last Monday.
Gould criticised the decision not to award a try to Wests Tigers captain Api Koroisau in the round-eight loss to Brisbane and also took aim at the decision to scrap penalties for incorrect line dropouts this season.
“We are so stupid with our rules. Our game is stupid,” Gould, who threw a water bottle on the ground in apparent disgust at the end of his diatribe, said.
Gould has long walked a fine line between juggling his opinionated media punditry and roles with NRL clubs, but last Thursday’s fine marked his first financial penalty from the league.
On Monday morning, Gould insisted he hadn’t “done anything wrong” and said he intended to dispute the fine – half of which is suspended for 24 months.
“I’ll certainly be challenging this breach notice, I can let you know that,” Gould said on Today, broadcast by his media employer Channel Nine.
“I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve got to go through a process, they’ve given me a breach notice.
“I’ve been too busy to deal with it over the weekend … I’m going to have to get a continuance so I can get my lawyer onto it.”
The NRL on Thursday said Gould’s comments were detrimental to the best interests of the game.
CEO Andrew Abdo said the NRL welcomes constructive criticism and passionate opinions up until a point.
“Registered officials cannot overstep the mark and make comments that are considered detrimental to the game or NRL competition. Destructive attacks on the game itself will not be tolerated.
“This is a professional sport and our leaders should set the standard around reasoned debate and respect for the game.”
Gould has until Thursday to officially lodge an appeal.
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