Apologies as not directly Manly related, but Gould is kidding himself if he thinks he can have Cleary playing for 600k a year in 7 seasons time.
Cleary should hold out a season (2 years remaining on his deal) and he will easy get 1 mil a year
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... cb04ffc157
Penrith Panthers in talks to sign Nathan Cleary until end of 2024
Dean Ritchie, Exclusive, The Daily Telegraph
Subscriber only
NATHAN Cleary could become the richest teenager still living at home with his parents after Penrith started talks over a lucrative five-year $3 million contract extension.
The prodigious halfback, who will come up against his father and Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary for the first time at NRL level on Sunday, still has two years remaining on his Panthers deal.
But with inevitable talk of a future family reunion at the Tigers, Penrith hope to lock him in for seven years and keep him at the foot of the Blue Mountains until at least the end of 2024.
Despite being just 19, Cleary is viewed as a future Penrith skipper. The lucrative deal illustrates Penrith’s faith in him leading them well into the next decade.
“He would be our No.1 priority at this point,” Penrith prop James Tamou said.
Panthers Group chief executive Brian Fletcher spoke with Cleary’s management late last week.
Fletcher declared the talented No.7 could be the “Johnathan Thurston of Penrith”, four years after Panthers supremo Phil Gould failed in his audacious bid to sign the North Queensland superstar.
If Cleary re-signs, he would next come off contract at 26, an age when most playmakers enter their prime.
There appears little doubt, given his already rapid rise, a mature and polished Cleary would then be worth well in excess of $1 million a season.
“We have opened negotiations with Nathan’s manager. We are looking at him as a long-term player and leader. He could be the Johnathan Thurston of Penrith,” Fletcher told The Daily Telegraph.
“Adding five years to his current contract would be the preferred amount.
“He is only young. Nathan will only be 26 years old when he comes off contact, if we are successful in re-signing him.
“Nathan is very level-headed and has all the talents. He was developed through our academy and he came through the grades.”
Cleary said he was coping well with the strain and demands of NRL football, but expected that to be tested even further at Pepper Stadium on Sunday when he faces his father’s team.
Teammate Dallin Watene-Zeleniak, who will come up against older brother Malakai for the first time just four months after playing alongside him at Penrith, has already offered Cleary a room at his place this week, albeit tongue-in-cheek.
“There will be a bit of banter at home,” Cleary said. “We are both very competitive. It won’t have that much of an impact on our lives.
“Dad knows my game best so it’s weird he will be trying to take me down this week.
“That’s probably the biggest thing — it’s more the emotional side than physical. I’m just doing my best each week,” he said. “There are a lot of ups and down in a season. This is my first full season.”
Tamou said his club would be “desperate” to retain Cleary.
“He is definitely the future of the club,” Tamou said. “He is such a talent. The way he has been playing over the last month, he has really turned it on.”
Cleary should hold out a season (2 years remaining on his deal) and he will easy get 1 mil a year
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... cb04ffc157
Penrith Panthers in talks to sign Nathan Cleary until end of 2024
Dean Ritchie, Exclusive, The Daily Telegraph
Subscriber only
NATHAN Cleary could become the richest teenager still living at home with his parents after Penrith started talks over a lucrative five-year $3 million contract extension.
The prodigious halfback, who will come up against his father and Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary for the first time at NRL level on Sunday, still has two years remaining on his Panthers deal.
But with inevitable talk of a future family reunion at the Tigers, Penrith hope to lock him in for seven years and keep him at the foot of the Blue Mountains until at least the end of 2024.
Despite being just 19, Cleary is viewed as a future Penrith skipper. The lucrative deal illustrates Penrith’s faith in him leading them well into the next decade.
“He would be our No.1 priority at this point,” Penrith prop James Tamou said.
Panthers Group chief executive Brian Fletcher spoke with Cleary’s management late last week.
Fletcher declared the talented No.7 could be the “Johnathan Thurston of Penrith”, four years after Panthers supremo Phil Gould failed in his audacious bid to sign the North Queensland superstar.
If Cleary re-signs, he would next come off contract at 26, an age when most playmakers enter their prime.
There appears little doubt, given his already rapid rise, a mature and polished Cleary would then be worth well in excess of $1 million a season.
“We have opened negotiations with Nathan’s manager. We are looking at him as a long-term player and leader. He could be the Johnathan Thurston of Penrith,” Fletcher told The Daily Telegraph.
“Adding five years to his current contract would be the preferred amount.
“He is only young. Nathan will only be 26 years old when he comes off contact, if we are successful in re-signing him.
“Nathan is very level-headed and has all the talents. He was developed through our academy and he came through the grades.”
Cleary said he was coping well with the strain and demands of NRL football, but expected that to be tested even further at Pepper Stadium on Sunday when he faces his father’s team.
Teammate Dallin Watene-Zeleniak, who will come up against older brother Malakai for the first time just four months after playing alongside him at Penrith, has already offered Cleary a room at his place this week, albeit tongue-in-cheek.
“There will be a bit of banter at home,” Cleary said. “We are both very competitive. It won’t have that much of an impact on our lives.
“Dad knows my game best so it’s weird he will be trying to take me down this week.
“That’s probably the biggest thing — it’s more the emotional side than physical. I’m just doing my best each week,” he said. “There are a lot of ups and down in a season. This is my first full season.”
Tamou said his club would be “desperate” to retain Cleary.
“He is definitely the future of the club,” Tamou said. “He is such a talent. The way he has been playing over the last month, he has really turned it on.”
