‘Nathan could coach’: Matty Johns’ bold contract plan to lock down Cleary ‘for life’

Matty Johns has floated a seriously bold theory about Nathan Cleary’s next contract amid debate about monster NRL deals.

Matty Johns has floated a bold theory about Nathan Cleary’s long-term NRL future after Dylan Brown’s 10-year contract with Newcastle sparked debate about the viability of ultra long-term deals.

The Knights signed Brown on a 10-year contract worth $1.3 million per season from next year — a deal widely viewed as an overpay made by a club desperate to land a big name recruit.

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The length of the contract has raised eyebrows, given Brown will be 35 years old by the time his contract with Newcastle is completed.

Four-time premiership winner Cooper Cronk told news.com.au last week players like Brown are “worth what someone is willing to pay you”, but his preference is for medium term contracts over 10-year deals.

“There’s a handful of players in the history of our game who have probably deserved a 10-year contract that have had return on investment,” Cronk said.

“Are the players of today’s ilk generational? Are they future Immortals? Look at Cameron Smith. Ten-plus years at the top, he delivered on that contract.

“(Jonathan) Thurston, (Billy) Slater, (Darren) Lockyer — those are the guys who delivered 10-plus years at the highest level and return on investment if given that type of money.

“The other ones probably haven’t but you can argue that on each level. Dylan Brown’s got 10 years to work it out.

“I will say this, personally I don’t think anyone except Immortals or future Immortals are worth more than five or six years. That’s my personal preference.”

What will Nathan Cleary’s next NRL contract look like? (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Given monster long-term deals are becoming the new norm and necessary to poach a star player, Johns hypothesised about what it would take for Penrith or rival clubs to secure Cleary’s long-term future.

In response, Johns made the case Cleary could be offered a 10-year deal with the option for the gun halfback to transition into a coaching role.

“If I owned the club, this is what I’d do and it would have been the same with Cameron Smith,” Johns told SEN.

“What I mean with Nathan is that if something happened with (Panthers coach) Ivan (Cleary) and he said, ‘Look, I can’t coach for the rest of this season, I’ve got a bit going on’ … I’m telling you Nathan could step straight in and coach that side.

“So with Nathan it’s a no-brainer. I’d offer Nathan a 10-year deal, of which seven or eight of that would be playing, and rolling on in the last few years into a coaching role, with the view of him being the head coach four or five years after he retires.

“So you’re signing him on essentially for life.”

Matty Johns reckons Nathan Cleary could coach the Panthers.

The four-time NRL champ is arguably the best player in the NRL. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Roosters premiership winner Brian Fletcher said a team like the Dragons was crying out for a playmaker of Cleary’s standard.

“If you were a Dragons supporter, and you could get Nathan Cleary and the only way you’re getting him out of Penrith is a 10-year deal, I’m saying I’d be for that,” Fletcher said on SEN.

“And I feel the Dragons supporters would be for that. I’d say yes.”

Johns said such a lengthy offer wouldn’t be suitable for every superstar player in the NRL.

“I don’t think it would work with Kalyn Ponga because he’s a different type of player,” Johns added.

“I don’t know about (Storm hooker) Harry Grant because of the damage that is inflicted from him running through the middle of the field.

“Harry plays differently to Cameron Smith because it was like trying to tackle water.

“Harry cops his fair degree of punishment.

“That’s the only thing stopping me from signing Harry to a 10-year-deal.”

Both Nathan and his dad Ivan are contracted with the Panthers until the end of the 2027 season. The four-time premiership winning halfback is on a salary of around $1.3 million per season.

With his contract lining up with the Papua New Guinea team entering the NRL in 2028, the expansion team has Cleary in its sights, especially given his girlfriend Mary Fowler’s PNG heritage.

A move to be the face of the new NRL franchise in PNG would likely make the Panthers superstar the highest paid player in the history of rugby league.

With the PNG government committed to offering NRL players and staff tax-free status for working with the expansion team, Cleary could save roughly $581,628 per-year on annual tax if he plays with the PNG team.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary’s future is tied to his son’s deal. Picture: Richard Dobson

Nathan Cleary is in the prime of his career. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo told the Hello Sport podcast this month: “It could be something that plays out in the future as something really exciting.

“A really exciting combination isn’t it? It’s like I was talking about earlier, it captivates people.

“There will be a lot of people that are Mary Fowler fans that now are interested in rugby league.

“There’s a lot of people who know nothing about sport who are interested in the romance between the two. And obviously if Nathan was playing for PNG down the track that would be pretty interesting as well.”

The Panthers lost in Round 2 to the Roosters in a shock upset and will be looking to bounce back against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday night in a grand final rematch.

Originally published as ‘Nathan could coach’: Matty Johns’ bold contract plan to lock down Cleary ‘for life’