Over six seasons – the longest tenure of any Warriors coach – he guided them to four playoffs and a 77-3-74 record, finishing as one of only four coaches with at least a 50% winning record. The others were John Monie (26-26), Daniel Anderson (51-2-39) and Andrew Webster (49-1-37).
Ivan Cleary was well regarded as a Warriors coach. Photo / Dean Purcell
Soon after losing the grand final, Cleary announced he was leaving the club for Penrith, but also spent some time at Wests Tigers, before returning to the Panthers.
He guided them to four straight championships (2021-24) and personally recommended assistant coach Webster for the Warriors’ top job in 2022. Webster currently has the highest winning percentage (56.3%) of any Warriors coach.
“You learn off the all the coaches you work under, particularly Ivan,” Webster said. “He’s a mentor for me and I got to see it done right, with two years at the Panthers, when they were obviously winning, but I also saw him at the Tigers, when he was trying to rebuild a club.
“I learnt plenty off him and I’m grateful for my time with him.”
Webster downplays any perceived rivalry with his former boss. In four years at the Warriors, he is 1-4 against Cleary.
“We’ve played against the Panthers for a while now,” he said. “It’s not the first time we’ve come across them, so I’ve kind of lost that feeling of the ‘old club’.
“They’ve been the pinnacle for the last six years, so we’re looking forward to the challenge, that’s for sure.”
Ever since Cleary announced he would step down from the Panthers role after 2027 – has anyone else ever given their boss 18 months’ notice? – ‘Wahs Nation’ has been abuzz about the possibility of him returning to Mt Smart in some capacity.
The Warriors are obviously still close to Cleary’s heart.
Oldest son Nathan was famously a ballboy for the Warriors as a kid. Youngest son Jett is working his way through the grades at the Auckland club, largely out of the glare of the Sydney media, who still get excited at the thought of the prodigal son cracking first grade.
Jett Cleary is on the books at the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
There has also been a relatively free flow of players from one club to the other. The current Warriors squad include former Panthers Kurt Capewell, Wayde Egan, James Fisher-Harris, Te Maire Martin and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, while the Panthers squad include former Warriors Tom Ale, Kalani Going, Freddy Lussick and Isaiah Papali’i.
For all those reasons, Warriors v Panthers will be more than just two points on a championship table – at least for another couple of seasons.
History
Over the history of this rivalry, Penrith enjoy a 34-19 head-to-head advantage and trail only the Melbourne Storm (35) for the number of wins over the Warriors.
Only the Manly Sea Eagles (65.9%) and the Storm (64.8%) have a better winning percentage than the Panthers (63%) against the Auckland club. They have an 18-8 advantage at home, although strictly speaking, this fixture will be played on neutral ground.
Penrith has been even more dominant over the past 10 games, winning nine of them. The sole exception was ‘Magic Round’ 2024, when Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki scored a late try and converted for a 22-20 win at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
The Panthers took out both 2025 meetings, including a 28-18 win at Go Media Stadium, without five State of Origin stars. NZ Kiwis second-rower Scott Sorenson had a try double, while wing Paul Alamoti scored a try and kicked 4/6 from the tee.
They also ended the Warriors’ playoff hopes with a 24-8 result in the elimination round, also at Go Media Stadium.
Form
Since back-to-back defeats in March/April, the Warriors have strung together six wins over the Melbourne Storm, Gold Coast Titans, the Dolphins, Parramatta Eels, Brisbane Broncos and St George-Illawarra Dragons.
It is important to note though, that none of those six opponents had winning records when the Warriors played them – Broncos were best placed at 5-5 – and that run of games was the easiest faced by any current playoff team during the same period.
Their current 9-2 record is their best-ever start through 11 games, edging ahead of the 2025 team with their victory over the Dragons. After 12 rounds, they are second on the table, two points behind Penrith and two ahead of Sydney Roosters.
The Warriors topped the competition in points scored (350), tries (61), set completion (81%) and total kick metres (7099m). Front-rower Jackson Ford was second in post-contact metres (809m), behind Gold Coast wing Phillip Sami (876m).
The Panthers (10-1) are on a five-game run, since their only loss to Canterbury Bulldogs, but two of those wins were squeakers against the Dolphins (23-22) and Manly Sea Eagles (18-16).
Penrith were second behind the Warriors in points scored (349) and tries (60) but led the league in goals (54) and total kicks (251). Halfback Nathan Cleary was second in points scored (123), behind Dolphins wing Jamayne Isaako (134), but had kicked the most goals (53) and provided most try assists (15), alongside Storm counterpart Jahrome Hughes.
Cleary also led the competition in kicks (192) and attacking kicks (106). Unsurprisingly, he leads Dally M Medal standings, ahead of Ford, as voting goes behind closed doors.
Wing Thomas Jenkins was the league’s top tryscorer (18), while fullback Dylan Edwards had most runs (259) and most run metres (2440m).
Teams
Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Ali Leiataua, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Te Maire Martin, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Jacob Laban, 13. Erin Clark
Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 16. Demitric Vaimauga, 17. Marata Niukore, 18. Kayliss Fatialofa, 20. Luke Hanson
Reserves: 21. Makaia Taufa, 22. Luke Metcalf, 23. Jason Salalilo
Webster has opted to rest Origin players Mitch Barnett and Capewell altogether, completely omitting them from his squad. Last year, Barnett tried to back up from the Origin opener on three days’ recovery and suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Capewell was subsequently not risked after the second and third games of the 2025 series.
Kurt Capewell is resting after Origin duty. Photo / Photosport
Two outstanding performances have seen Martin retain the halfback role, but Luke Metcalf has been named for NSW Cup and lurks on the extended reserves bench for first grade, in case Webster has a change of heart.
With Roger Tuivasa-Sheck now sidelined for the season, Adam Pompey comes back into the starting line-up and may inherit goalkicking duties, after kicking the reserves to victory last week.
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Thomas Jenkins, 3. Izack Tago, 4. Luke Garner, 5. Paul Alamoti, 6. Blaize Talagi, 7. Jack Cogger, 8. Moses Leota, 9. Freddy Lussick, 10. Liam Henry, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Liam Martin, 13. Lindsay Smith
Interchange: 14. Jack Cole, 15. Scott Sorenson, 16. Billy Phillips, 17. Luron Patea, 18. Billy Scott, 19. Sione Fonua
Reserves: 20. Kalani Going, 21. Casey McLean, 22. Isaah Yeo, 23. Nathan Cleary, 24. Brian To’o
Cleary has hedged his bets on his four Origin stars, with Nathan Cleary, Casey McLean, Brian To’o and Isaah Yeo named among the reserves, pending their recoveries from the series opener in Sydney.
Jack Cogger, Izack Tago, Luke Garner and Lindsay Smith are keeping their starting spots warm for now.
The Panthers squad also includes Kiwis Moses Leota, Papali’i, Sorenson, Luron Patea, Kalani Going and McLean.
Player to watch
If Cleary opts to rest his Origin stars, fullback Dylan Edwards becomes a potential game winner.
He lost his NSW jersey to James Tedesco, but the margin is still razor thin and a standout performance in the top-of-the-table showpiece may be enough to promote him ahead of the Blues veteran for Origin II.
Kiwi player to watch
Former Warrior Isaiah Papali’i is quietly putting together an outstanding season for the Panthers and will need to assume pack leadership, if Yeo sits this one out.
Even without the Origin stars on both sides, this forward battle is mouthwatering, as the Warriors rest heavily on their next wave of talent.
What’s at stake?
If Penrith win, they would be four points clear atop the competition ladder and cruising. They would have won six straight, which would become the longest live streak, and become very short odds to win a fifth championship in the six years.
If the Warriors win, they would draw level with the Panthers at the top of the table but would need a 24-point margin to gain a points differential edge. Their seven-game streak would be just one win short of their record, set in 2002, when they won the minor premiership and reached the grand final.
What will happen?
This version of the Warriors don’t seem too concerned with bad history, so this is a chance for them to end Penrith’s dominance over them – but only if Cleary sits out his Origin stars.
– RNZ