Penrith Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary has finally admitted to making a key mistake earlier this NRL season — one that many fans and analysts had predicted from the start.
The issue came during the Panthers’ Round 4 loss to the Storm, when Cleary made the surprising decision to bench veteran playmaker Jarome Luai and start rookie halfback Tom Jenkins in his place.
At the time, Cleary defended the move, saying it was a chance to “try new combinations.” But after the team’s poor attacking performance and lack of direction on the field, critics called it a gamble that backfired.
Now, months later, Cleary has admitted it wasn’t the right call.
> “In hindsight, we probably pushed that change too early,” Cleary told reporters after training. “Jarome brings leadership and spark — we missed that in a big way.”
The Panthers lost that match 22–6, and Luai returned the following week, helping the team get back on track with two straight wins.
While the team has recovered since, fans have been waiting for Cleary to acknowledge what many saw as an obvious misstep. His comments this week are being seen as a rare moment of public accountability.
The Panthers currently sit 3rd on the ladder as they continue their push for another deep finals run.
