NRL stars Nathan Cleary, Cameron Murray, Angus Crichton, Will Penisini, Payne Haas on Rugby Australia’s hit list
The code war between RA and the NRL is set to ratchet up to another level with revelations that Nathan Cleary has emerged as a ‘definite’ target | SEE THE FULL LIST
The code war between Rugby Australia and the NRL is set to ratchet up to another level with revelations that Penrith Panthers captain Nathan Cleary has emerged as one of Rugby Australia’s next “definite” recruitment targets.
Following the sensational poaching of Sydney Roosters star Joseph Suaalii last month, RA is determined to continue to raid its rival for its best talent.
Inside the walls of RA, a “Re-Union” hit list has been drawn up – passed on to The Weekend Australian – by the Wallabies’ high- performance team which details five “definite” targets from the NRL.
Souths captain Cameron Murray, Roosters star and backrower Angus Crichton, Parramatta centre Will Penisini, Penrith captain Cleary and Brisbane star Payne Haas are at the top of the list.
Rugby Australia chair Hamish McLennan confirmed the list was current, and said Cleary was “absolutely” in its sights after the Penrith captain last month said he’d be interested in a switch to the Wallabies.
Cleary is locked into a contract until the end of 2027.
“Nathan Cleary wasn’t on the original list as we thought he’d be untouchable, but he said he’d be open to a switch,” McLennan said.
“I’d forgotten he’d spent time growing up in New Zealand, so he appreciates the game and gets it. Imagine him running out in front of 85,000 people wearing Wallaby gold at Stade de France. Mind- blowing.”
“If you haven’t seen it, go on YouTube and type in ‘Wallabies’ national anthem at Twickenham’, Murrayfield, which is my favourite, or Stade de France and you’ll get what I mean. We don’t encourage people to break contracts but it’s up to him. There’s many good overseas tours he could do.”
McLennan’s wife Lucinda’s family have close ties to Crichton’s family — and McLennan said they were interested in having talks with the Roosters star.
“Well, (my wife) Lucinda’s family are super-close to the Crichtons,” he said. “Her mum and dad (Ruth and Tony) are old friends with Liz and Robert (Angus’s grandparents), and Lucinda used to hang out with Charlie (Angus’s dad) from the age of five at their property in Young.
“My daughter Olivia went to school with Gus’s sister Lucy and they’re great mates, so we all know each other really well.”
Murray has been a long-time target of Eddie Jones. McLennan said they’d love to lure the Souths captain across but noted the Newington old boy was tied up on contract until 2025.
“Eddie (Jones) loves him. He’s top of the pops as an ex-rugby union player but I don’t think he’s gettable,” he said.
Meanwhile Haas, who first met with Rugby Australia chiefs two years ago, only for the rival code to withdraw interest after he was arrested following a drunken altercation with police, was revealed to be a target this week.
Haas is off-contract at the Broncos at the end of next season, making him a free agent from November 1 this year.
McLennan confirmed he hoped to meet Haas’s representatives sooner rather than later.
“He certainly has the physical talent but he’s got to really want to do it …. It’s a great honour to wear Wallaby gold so we’d need to be convinced he’ll adhere to the highest levels,” he said.
Suaalii’s friend and old Kings’ school mate Penisini is also in their sights. McLennan said: “Will is an interesting one as he would understand, as (former Wallaby) Peter FitzSimons says, that rugby is more than a game, it’s a culture.”
In January, shortly after signing with Rugby Australia, Wallabies coach Jones singled out former Australian schoolboy rugby representative Murray as someone who could play across both codes.
In his first iteration as Wallabies coach, Jones oversaw the code-hopping careers of dual internationals Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers and Lote Tuqiri. They injected energy into the sport, and had the turnstiles clicking.
“I think that’s what we need to aspire to be (the No. 1 winter sport),” Jones said in The Weekend Australian in January upon his re-signing as coach.
“There’s probably a big gap between where we are and where we need to be. But I think that should always be the aspiration.”
“To be the sport kids want to play. How do you do that? So that young kids growing up, like say the Cameron Murrays growing up, who play rugby league and rugby union. But the choice becomes obvious for him.
“He can play a game where he can have a professional career – like he does with Souths at the moment – but also he can then play on the biggest stage in the world.
“The World Cup, it’s the third biggest sporting event in the world, it’s going to be in Australia in 2027. You want young players to be wanting to play rugby … and at the moment there’s probably been a swing towards playing rugby league,” he said.
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