LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
In a stunning turn of events, former Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan dropped a bombshell claim that superstar halfback Nathan Cleary is eyeing a switch to rugby union.
McLennan, known for his ability to poach top talent, revealed that Cleary and a handful of other NRL stars have been considering crossing over to the 15-man game.
Fresh off the heels of Joseph Suaalii's dazzling Wallabies debut, McLennan hinted at a potential player exodus from the NRL to rugby union.
With his track record of securing top talent, he firmly believes that Cleary and other NRL stars could make the transition to the oval ball game.
While formal discussions never materialized between McLennan and the NRL stars, the former RA chairman is confident that Cleary and others could make the switch.
"RA needs to go after Cleary, no doubt about it.
He and players like Payne Haas could be game changers for rugby union," McLennan said in a recent interview with The Daily Telegraph.
If Cleary does decide to make the leap to rugby union, it could shake up the sporting landscape and have a profound impact on TV rights deals.
The potential move would be a game changer, adding a new dynamic to the code and potentially opening the door for other NRL stars to follow suit.