Wests Tigers send letter to Penrith reminding them to back off contracted coach Ivan Cleary

WHILE speculation continues about Penrith’s interest in signing Ivan Cleary, Wests Tigers have handed their rivals a note spelling out their stance: hands off our coach.

It doesn’t look like Cleary will be swapping cats. (Brett Costello)

BACK off our coach.

That is the emphatic message from the Wests Tigers to Penrith after the Panthers attempted to sign their contracted coach Ivan Cleary.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Tigers sent Penrith officials a letter reminding them Cleary is off-limits as he still has two seasons remaining on his deal.

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It doesn’t look like Cleary will be swapping cats. (Brett Costello)

The letter, sent only hours after the Tigers found out about Penrith’s interest in Cleary earlier this month, outlined the current contractual obligations while stressing legal options would be considered if the Panthers continued to talk to their under contract coach.

The Tigers also wanted Penrith to understand they wouldn’t be pushed around and they would fight for their rights, including the club’s commercial interests.

The joint-venture club also received interest from multiple lawyers offering their complementary services because the Panthers were inducing a breach of contract.

Penrith have gone quiet on their coach hunt. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

Since the letter was sent, the Panthers have publicly said their interest in Cleary was for 2021 and beyond once his Tigers contract had expired.

The Daily Telegraph understands Penrith’s position hasn’t changed and the club remains keen to lure Cleary to the foot of the mountains in two years time.

Until then, the Panthers are weighing up their coaching options for 2019 and beyond — including hiring current caretaker coach Cameron Ciraldo.

Penrith CEO Brian Fletcher said the club will address the coaching situation post the NRL season.

Ciraldo could get the temporary full-time nod. (Brett Costello)

“We have a caretaker coach in at the moment and we’ll get to November once the season is out of the road and see where that takes us,” Fletcher said.

“But we haven’t moved one inch on a new coach since Hook left and Cameron came in as caretaker.

“We’ve got to win the next two games to play semi-final football and that is all we are caring about at the moment.

“But we’ve got a coach and an assistant coach at the moment and we might be right with them, I don’t know.

“Cameron has got to be in the mix because he is coaching but we haven’t got to that stage yet.

“We’ve just got to get on with playing football for now.”

Fletcher also confirmed the Panthers plan to finalise halfback Nathan Cleary’s future once the season is finished.

Cleary, a free agent from November 1, has indicated he wants to wait until November before officially announcing his next deal.

“Naturally we will be doing everything we can to keep him at Penrith,” Fletcher said.

“Nathan just wants to focus on football and get a result.

“Come October it (the season) will be all over, so there is plenty of time to talk to him.

“We’ll be doing everything in our power to keep him.”

The Panthers must beat the Warriors in Auckland on Friday night to have any chance of finishing in the top four and securing a home final.

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Originally published as Wests Tigers send letter to Penrith reminding them to back off contracted coach Ivan Cleary