Nathan Cleary knocked back a reported $8.4 million package from the PNG Chiefs to stay at Penrith, with the figures behind the unsuccessful chase now laid out by News Corp outlets.
According to Zero Tackle, citing The Daily Telegraph, the inaugural Papua New Guinea franchise’s proposed offer was understood to be worth $6 million tax-free across three seasons — about $2 million a year on the playing contract alone.
Third-party agreements could have lifted his annual earnings to roughly $2.4 million, Zero Tackle reported, taking the combined three-year package to about $8.4 million. The Australian also reported that Cleary rejected what would have made him the highest-paid player in rugby league history.
Those figures would have sat well clear of the reported package for Jarome Luai, who is understood to be on $3.6 million across three playing seasons plus about $3 million in third-party deals, Zero Tackle said.
Loyalty over the payday
Despite the money on the table, Cleary’s camp told the Chiefs on Wednesday night that he would remain a Panther, as TSB reported from Nine and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Read more: Nathan Cleary Tells PNG Chiefs He Will Stay at Penrith, Reports Say
Zero Tackle said Cleary is instead set to accept a new two-year agreement with Penrith estimated at about $1.7 million a season before tax — a substantial cut against the Chiefs’ reported offer.
His decision is understood to be driven by loyalty to the Panthers and a desire to stay beyond the coaching tenure of his father, Ivan Cleary, who is scheduled to finish at the end of 2027.
Chiefs keep hunting a marquee face
The PNG club had been tracking Cleary for months ahead of open-market talks and will now turn elsewhere for an established star to headline its NRL entry. Hudson Young was already in Port Moresby for talks earlier this week.
Read more: Hudson Young Lands in Port Moresby for PNG Chiefs Talks
Neither Penrith nor the Chiefs had issued a full contract announcement confirming dollar figures at the time of writing. Cleary’s stay at Penrith remains framed as reported by major outlets pending an official club statement.
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