Peter V’landys, the chairman of the NRL, has strongly rebutted recent claims made by Rugby Australia regarding Nathan Cleary’s potential move to rugby union. Rugby Australia had reportedly suggested that the star halfback, who plays for the Penrith Panthers and is widely considered one of the best players in the NRL, had expressed interest in leaving the NRL to pursue a career in rugby.
V’landys, never one to shy away from a confrontation, responded with a forceful statement aimed at Rugby Australia, calling their comments misleading and speculative. He emphasized that Cleary, who is under contract with the Panthers, has made no indications that he is seeking to leave rugby league for rugby union. The NRL chairman also pointed out that such rumors were damaging to the integrity of the NRL and undermined the professionalism of the competition.
While Cleary’s future has been a topic of discussion ever since he made waves in the NRL, including his pivotal role in Penrith’s recent championships, V’landys asserted that Cleary’s dedication to rugby league was unquestionable. He added that any suggestion of Cleary leaving the NRL was premature and based on little more than conjecture.
Rugby Australia, on the other hand, had fueled the speculation with comments indicating that they had held informal discussions with Cleary, but V’landys didn’t mince words, questioning the credibility of these assertions. He implied that Rugby Australia may have been trying to destabilize the NRL by promoting such rumors to garner interest in players from rugby league, particularly high-profile ones like Cleary, who has established himself as a marquee talent.
The war of words comes at a time when Rugby Australia is desperate to rebuild the Wallabies and is reportedly seeking to attract top NRL talent to shore up their ranks. However, V’landys dismissed the idea that Rugby Australia would be able to lure Cleary away, stating that league’s financial strength and the lifestyle offered by the NRL made the competition highly attractive to players.
This confrontation highlights the ongoing rivalry between rugby union and rugby league in Australia, with both codes vying for supremacy and talent. While V’landys’ comments are likely to fuel further debate, they also serve to underline the NRL’s position in protecting its star players from external pressures.
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