Nathan Cleary makes a plea to the NRL as he visits girlfriend Mary Fowler in England
Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary has offered up his take on when the World Club Challenge should be played after discussions have been raging in recent weeks over the cross-hemisphere match.
The halfback is currently in the United Kingdom visiting his girlfriend and Manchester City star Mary Fowler and was at Old Trafford on Saturday night watching on Wigan Warriors defeat Hull Kingston Rovers to be crowned Super League Champions.
It comes a week after the halfback led Penrith to their fourth straight NRL premiership title – and in years past, that would’ve meant his side would now face Wigan in the World Club Challenge.
Both clubs squared off in the 2024 edition of the match, with the Warriors claiming a 16-12 victory against Penrith, who have failed to win the World Club Challenge despite having featured in the match four time.
The cross-hemisphere match usually takes place before the commencement of the NRL and Super League seasons in February.
But with Wigan and Penrith both set to kick-start their 2025 campaigns in Las Vegas next March, the Panthers have pulled out of playing the fixture.
Penrith CEO Brian Fletcher raised concerns over player welfare, telling News Corp: ‘There’s no way in the world we could fit it into the schedule. Our coaches and football department have said the players couldn’t stand up to it.
‘The amount of football that they’ve played and then a World Club Challenge before we go to Vegas – it becomes too much. Player welfare is the biggest problem.’
The Penrith executive was slammed by fans online for his comments, with some calling his side ‘pathetic’.
But amid concerns that players may struggle to deal with the start of the season fixture cram, Cleary has concurred with an NRL commentator over when the World Club Challenge could be rescheduled to.
TV commentator Andrew Voss stated that the game should be moved to be played during the NRL’s Magic Round, and it seems Cleary is a fan.
‘Would love to be able to play the World Club Challenge at Magic Round next year. I understand the logistics of getting the game on would be difficult but I think it would be a great spectacle.’
The NRL’s Magic Round took place in May this year while the Super League’s Magic Round occurred later in August. Theoretically, both could be played at the same time, with both Wigan and Penrith taking a bye for the round.
Cleary’s comment comes after broadcaster Voss set out how the World Club Challenge could fit into the scheduling for Magic round.
‘Could we go to the UK Super League and say: “Look, for next year, Magic Round, Penrith have the bye. We’re going to give Penrith the bye”,’ Voss said on SEN Breakfast with Vossy & Brandy.
‘We will make the World Club Challenge the feature game on the Saturday night.’
Wigan bosses have meanwhile claimed they’ll ‘play anywhere’ just so long as the game can go ahead.
Wigan CEO Kris Radlinski said to Rugby League Live: ‘I’ve been reluctant to talk about it until we’re in the conversation but I’ll try my best this week,” Radlinski told Rugby League Live.
‘I started conversations with Vegas and always had the World Club Challenge in mind. The date was set, but things have changed. I’ve read about it in the press like everyone else, unfortunately.
‘It would be really sad for it to fall away after what was built last year. I thought Penrith were amazing, the occasion was amazing, but to read it’s not going to happen, it’s not what we want.
‘We’ll play in the UK, we’ll play in Australia, we’ll play anywhere if it can be done.’
During the off-season, Penrith are set to see a host of their key players join up with respective national teams for this summer’s Pacific Championships. Dylan Edwards, Lindsay Smith, Isaah Yeo and Clive Churchill medallist Liam Martin were all called up to Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad.
