LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Despite not securing a historic fifth consecutive premiership, the Penrith Panthers have been crowned the No.1 NRL club, as determined by the players themselves.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the RLPA's annual Players' Pulse Survey has ranked the Panthers at the top, evaluating clubs based on crucial factors such as head coach effectiveness, high-performance staff, facilities, player wellbeing, and psychological safety.
This marks the first instance of the RLPA publicly presenting the top four clubs according to player insights.
The Panthers secured the top position in the men's category, narrowly surpassing the Parramatta Eels, who climbed to second place under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Jason Ryles.
The Melbourne Storm and Canterbury Bulldogs completed the top four rankings.
Coach Ivan Cleary received outstanding evaluations from his players, achieving an A rating.
Penrith also garnered an A in the wellbeing and education sectors, which the RLPA emphasizes strongly.