{"id":799075,"date":"2026-07-14T05:30:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T05:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/799075\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T05:30:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T05:30:11","slug":"nrl-2026-nathan-cleary-drops-hint-on-contract-future-parramatta-eels-target-jack-howarth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/799075\/","title":{"rendered":"NRL 2026: Nathan Cleary drops hint on contract future, Parramatta Eels target Jack Howarth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Nathan Cleary has dominated the State of Origin arena, so now what?<\/p>\n<p>Well, it won\u2019t be rugby union.<\/p>\n<p>Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | <a href=\"https:\/\/kayosports.com.au\/en-AU\/welcome\/nrl?pg=default&amp;extcamp=fsaeditoriallinkleague-edt-fsp-lnk-awr-grc-nrl-kyo&amp;channel=fsa&amp;campaign=fsacontra&amp;voucher=\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/poster-fallback.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The Panthers halfback has seemingly shut down any suggestion he could make a cross-code switch as attention turns to his future at the club beyond next season.<\/p>\n<p>Cleary has previously said he is \u201copen\u201d to the idea of switching codes at some point in the future and now that he has led the Blues to a famous series victory, the allure of a fresh challenge in rugby union could only be stronger.<\/p>\n<p>That is particularly true when you consider Cleary is also the raging favourite to win the Dally M Medal, adding yet another individual honour to his now long list of accolades.<\/p>\n<p>However, speaking to Nine News on Monday, Cleary indicated he is only more motivated to stay in rugby league beyond his current contract.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf anything, that drive is probably growing even more,\u201d Cleary said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s just a feeling I have. I feel like I can still get so much better.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you\u2019re able to enjoy some success, it\u2019s an addictive feeling and you just want more of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always said rugby league is my passion. I\u2019ve loved it for as long as I can remember, so it\u2019s always going to be life for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cleary, like several other high-profile Panthers, is contracted at the foot of the mountains until the end of 2027. <\/p>\n<p>He will be able to negotiate with rival clubs when November 1 hits, although when asked about that possibility on Monday it sounded like Cleary was not even sure it would get that far.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s something I\u2019ll think about over the next couple of weeks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Cleary has never publicly confirmed that he would explore his options and instead pointed out earlier in the year that he has never had the opportunity to in his Penrith career.<\/p>\n<p>Panthers fans will be hoping his latest comments are a sign that is not about to change.<\/p>\n<p>Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=NRLArticle&amp;utm_medium=TextLink&amp;utm_campaign=signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Cleary backs Daley to stay | 01:11<\/p>\n<p>EELS TARGET STORM CENTRE<\/p>\n<p>Jarome Luai may be the biggest name on the transfer market at the moment, but he is not the only player who could be on the way to the Parramatta Eels. <\/p>\n<p>Instead, the Eels are reportedly also keen on Melbourne centre Jack Howarth. <\/p>\n<p>That is according to Code Sports journalist Brent Read, who said on NRL 360 that the Eels are targeting Howarth as they look to bolster their outside backs stocks.<\/p>\n<p>Howarth is contracted at Melbourne for next season, but last year\u2019s grand finalists are said to have given him permission to sound out his options for 2027.<\/p>\n<p>Both the Perth Bears and PNG Chiefs are rumoured to be interested in Howarth\u2019s services, but it is Parramatta leading the way as the Eels look to make a real splash in the Jason Ryles era.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019ve got kids coming up but it also buys them time,\u201d Read said on Monday night, speaking of Parramatta\u2019s interest in a one-year Luai rental.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn November 1 for 2028, we\u2019re talking Matt Burton, Sam Walker, Ethan Sanders \u2014 there\u2019s a handful of halves coming on the market that they can\u2019t get for next year but they can get them for \u201828.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJarome buys them time. If their young kids don\u2019t come through, they can go to market.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI expect Parramatta to make more signings than just Jarome Luai. They\u2019re in the market for outside backs. They\u2019re looking at Jack Howarth if Jack\u2019s allowed to leave Melbourne. I expect them to took at their front row stocks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMitch (Moses) is the key for them. If Mitch can play 20 games for them, they\u2019re top eight contenders regardless of whether they get Jarome or not. But Jarome helps.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/nrl\/nrl-premiership\/nrl-2026-benji-marshall-slams-rumours-of-rift-with-jarome-luai-wests-tigers-press-conference-png-chiefs-contract\/news-story\/86a71d5dc744ac3a89ccf2eb1d36244d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Benji reveals reason for Luai move, slams \u2018absolutely bulls***\u2019 claim<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Is signing Luai a mistake for the Eels? | 05:19<\/p>\n<p>KENNY \u2018ABSOLUTELY\u2019 WANTS TO STAY PUT AT PENRITH<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Mitch Kenny has reaffirmed his preference is \u201cabsolutely\u201d to stay at Penrith as the premiership-winning hooker nears a new extension with the club.<\/p>\n<p>Kenny is one of several high-profile Panthers who are off-contract at the end of next season and had been linked with a potential move to the PNG Chiefs. <\/p>\n<p>But all the noise at this stage is pointing towards Kenny staying put and speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the Panthers hooker reiterated that will be the case if everything goes to plan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d Kenny said when asked if he wanted to remain at Penrith. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been quite vocal and in my position that my preference is to stay with Penrith and unfortunately you don\u2019t always get what you want, but I\u2019d really like to stay at Penrith and hopefully they\u2019re keen as well and something can be done there. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sort of leaving that with my agent at the moment, just trying to invest all my time and energy and getting the leg right.<\/p>\n<p>Kenny is nearing a return from a serious leg injury that has sidelined him since Penrith\u2019s win over the Dolphins earlier in the year.<\/p>\n<p>Kenny was considered a State of Origin bolter at the point of his injury and while he is no guarantee to return this week against the Broncos, the 28-year-old said his recovery is going well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m chomping on the bit to get back, but there\u2019s no point coming back if I\u2019m a little bit underdone,\u201d Kenny added. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m taking it week-by-week. I\u2019ll head back to Penrith today and have some discussions with the physios and see how I\u2019m going. I\u2019d like to be playing this week but that may not be up to me.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nathan Cleary has dominated the State of Origin arena, so now what? Well, it won\u2019t be rugby union.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":799076,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-799075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/799075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=799075"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/799075\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/799076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=799075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=799075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=799075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}