- Penrith’s Nathan Cleary watched the Super League Grand Final at the weekend
- He is currently in the United Kingdom visiting his girlfriend Mary Fowler
- Cleary gave his take on when next year’s World Club Challenge could take place
Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary has offered up his take on when the World Club Challenge should be played after discussions have been raging in recent weeks over the cross-hemisphere match.
The halfback is currently in the United Kingdom visiting his girlfriend and Manchester City star Mary Fowler and was at Old Trafford on Saturday night watching on Wigan Warriors defeat Hull Kingston Rovers to be crowned Super League Champions.
It comes a week after the halfback had led Penrith to their fourth-straight NRL premiership title, with his side now set to go up against Wigan in the Club World Challenge.
Both clubs squared off in the 2024 edition of the match, with the Warriors claiming a 16-12 victory against Penrith, who have failed to win the World Club Challenge despite having featured four times in the match.
The cross-hemisphere match usually takes place before the commencement of the NRL and Super League seasons in February.
Penrith star Nathan Cleary has offered his verdict on when the Club World Challenge should be played
His side Penrith will take on Wigan after they were crowned Super League Champions
Penrith clinched their fourth straight premiership last week, but the Panthers have never won the World Club Challenge
But with Wigan and Penrith both set to kick-start their 2025 campaigns in Las Vegas next March, fears have mounted among some at Penrith over whether the team will be able to fulfil the fixture.
Penrith CEO Brian Fletcher raised concerns over player welfare, telling News Corp: ‘There’s no way in the world we could fit it into the schedule. Our coaches and football department have said the players couldn’t stand up to it.
‘The amount of football that they’ve played and then a World Club Challenge before we go to Vegas – it becomes too much. Player welfare is the biggest problem.’
The Penrith executive was slammed by fans online for his comments, with some calling his side ‘pathetic’.
But amid concerns that players may struggle to deal with the start of the season fixture cram, Cleary has concurred with an NRL commentator over when the World Club Challenge could be rescheduled to.
Andrew Voss stated that the game should be moved to be played during the NRL’s magic round, and it seems Cleary is a fan.
Cleary believes that the game should be played during the NRL’s Magic Round in 2025
Andrew Voss has also suggested that the match could be played during Magic Round
Posting a video of Wigan’s Grand Final celebrations on his Instagram story on Monday, Cleary heaped praise on the Super League side before offering his view on the World Club Challenge.
‘Congratulations to Wigan on another win!’ Cleary wrote. ‘They’re a great team.’
‘Would love to be able to play the World Club Challenge at Magic Round next year. I understand the logistics of getting the game on would be difficult but I think it would be a great spectacle.’
The NRL’s Magic Round took place in May this year while the Super League’s Magic Round occurred later in August. Theoretically, both could be played at the same time, with both Wigan and Penrith taking a bye for the round.
Cleary’s comment comes after broadcaster Voss set out how the World Club Challenge could fit into the scheduling for Magic round.
‘Could we go to the UK Super League and say: “Look, for next year, Magic Round, Penrith have the bye. We’re going to give Penrith the bye”,’ Voss said on SEN Breakfast with Vossy & Brandy.
It comes after Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher raised fears over when the World Club Challenge should be played, citing player welfare
‘We will make the World Club Challenge the feature game on the Saturday night.’
Penrith are also set to see a host of their key players join up with respective national teams for this summer’s Pacific Championships. Dylan Edwards, Lindsay Smith, Isaah Yeo and Clive Churchill medallist Liam Martin were all called up to Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad.
Meanwhile, Paul Alamoti will join up with Tonga, while James Fisher-Harris, Casey McLean, Scott Sorensen and Trent Toeleau have all been included in the Kiwi’s squad.