‘Someone’s lying’: Cleary hits out at Tago transfer rumours

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has dismissed reports of an Izack Tago-Bronson Xerri player swap as “porky pies” and the product of an “ordinary” player movement system he said would be improved by transfer windows.

Tago, who has played in Penrith’s last three grand final triumphs, did not play in round one due to a personal matter, and returned via NSW Cup given Tom Jenkins’ strong form to start the season.

Tago has three seasons left on the Panthers deal that averages out at around $750,000 a year – making him one of the highest-paid centres in the NRL – but has been linked with an early exit in rumoured swap deals twice in as many weeks.

Reports of a swap for disgruntled Bulldogs centre Xerri prompted Fox League commentator and Panthers board member Greg Alexander to issue a denial on air, 24 hours after the broadcaster had first reported the suggestion.

A bemused Isaah Yeo was questioned a week earlier about Tago being traded to Parramatta for Zac Lomax after that suggestion began with a listener’s text message suggesting as much being read out on radio.

“Someone’s lying. We love him,” Cleary said on Monday when asked about the Tago conjecture. I know it’s good for you guys [the media] because you get to run with it, but someone there is telling porky pies.

“It happens a fair bit. It’s part of the reason our transfer system, if that’s what you want to call it, I think is an ordinary one, where it’s just 365 days a year.”

Cleary revisited the well-worn argument for specific transfer windows for player movements to be negotiated as a solution to the NRL’s year-round market movements.

The NRL presented several models for a transfer window, including mid-season and off-season trade periods, during the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement talks with players in 2023 – but faced significant opposition.

Those protracted negotiations eventually led to the most recent push for trade windows being shelved to reach an eventual compromise with the RLPA.

The game’s next CBA will be negotiated once the game’s next broadcast deals (both the NRL’s free-to-air and pay TV contracts expire at the end of 2027) and long-term salary cap are locked in.

The RLPA has regularly argued against trade periods as an unnecessary restriction on player movements and future planning, and would not dull the focus of media and fans on signings in any case.

The AFL’s post-season trade period generates significant off-season interest, though contract talks still dominate the code’s media coverage all year as well.

Asked if transfer windows would take the sting out of rugby league’s rumour mill, Cleary said: “We’ve certainly seen in other sports, it adds to that period where there’s build-up to it and fans can get involved in it.

“The way we run now, on a daily basis, we’re almost having recruitment meetings. It’s crazy.”

The Panthers will lose Scott Sorensen and Liam Henry to the new Perth Bears franchise in 2027, while the club has big names in Yeo, Liam Martin, Brian To’o, Blaize Talagi, Isaiah Papali’i and Moses Leota coming off contract from November 1.

Champion halfback Nathan Cleary is Penrith’s retention priority though and the club has begun preliminary extension talks with he and Ivan given both are off-contract next season.