LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has expressed his support for a proposed hybrid game that merges rugby league and rugby union. He envisions this innovation as a potential equivalent to cricket's Big Bash in the NRL.
With rugby league encountering heightened competition from the emerging rebel union project R360, which is actively pursuing several players from the NRL, Cleary believes this is the right moment for a cross-code partnership.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Cleary highlighted the significant opportunities such a merger could present, emphasizing its potential to expand both sports and engage new fans.
"It's like Twenty-20 cricket, no one would've ever thought anyone would be interested in that, but all of a sudden cricket thought outside the square," he noted.
Cleary mentioned that he has reached out to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo twice over the past year to explore this concept, revealing that his interest sparked after he watched a hybrid match between Randwick Rugby and Wests back in 2016.
"I remember I walked away impressed, I thought it flowed really well," he reflected.
"It's not complicated.