Over six seasons \u2013 the longest tenure of any Warriors coach \u2013 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).<\/p>\n
Ivan Cleary was well regarded as a Warriors coach. Photo \/ Dean Purcell<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
He guided them to four straight championships (2021-24) and personally recommended assistant coach Webster for the Warriors\u2019 top job in 2022. Webster currently has the highest winning percentage (56.3%) of any Warriors coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou learn off the all the coaches you work under, particularly Ivan,\u201d Webster said. \u201cHe\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learnt plenty off him and I\u2019m grateful for my time with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Webster downplays any perceived rivalry with his former boss. In four years at the Warriors, he is 1-4 against Cleary.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve played against the Panthers for a while now,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not the first time we\u2019ve come across them, so I\u2019ve kind of lost that feeling of the \u2018old club\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve been the pinnacle for the last six years, so we\u2019re looking forward to the challenge, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ever since Cleary announced he would step down from the Panthers role after 2027 \u2013 has anyone else ever given their boss 18 months\u2019 notice? \u2013 \u2018Wahs Nation\u2019 has been abuzz about the possibility of him returning to Mt Smart in some capacity.<\/p>\n
The Warriors are obviously still close to Cleary\u2019s heart. <\/p>\n
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<\/a>, largely out of the glare of the Sydney media, who still get excited at the thought of the prodigal son cracking first grade.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>, while the Panthers squad include former Warriors Tom Ale, Kalani Going, Freddy Lussick and Isaiah Papali\u2019i.<\/p>\n For all those reasons, Warriors v Panthers will be more than just two points on a championship table \u2013 at least for another couple of seasons.<\/p>\n History<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Penrith has been even more dominant over the past 10 games, winning nine of them. The sole exception was \u2018Magic Round\u2019 2024, when Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki scored a late try and converted for a 22-20 win at Brisbane\u2019s Suncorp Stadium.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n They also ended the Warriors\u2019 playoff hopes with a 24-8 result in the elimination round, also at Go Media Stadium.<\/p>\n Form<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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).<\/p>\n 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).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Wing Thomas Jenkins was the league\u2019s top tryscorer (18), while fullback Dylan Edwards had most runs (259) and most run metres (2440m).<\/p>\n Teams<\/p>\n 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<\/p>\n Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 16. Demitric Vaimauga, 17. Marata Niukore, 18. Kayliss Fatialofa, 20. Luke Hanson<\/p>\n Reserves: 21. Makaia Taufa, 22. Luke Metcalf, 23. Jason Salalilo<\/p>\n Webster has opted to rest Origin players Mitch Barnett and Capewell<\/a> altogether, completely omitting them from his squad. Last year, Barnett tried to back up from the Origin opener on three days\u2019 recovery and suffered a season-ending knee injury.<\/p>\n Capewell was subsequently not risked after the second and third games of the 2025 series.<\/p>\n Two outstanding performances have seen Martin retain the halfback role, but Luke Metcalf has been named for NSW Cup<\/a> and lurks on the extended reserves bench for first grade, in case Webster has a change of heart.<\/p>\nJett Cleary is on the books at the Warriors. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n
Kurt Capewell is resting after Origin duty. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n