LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Nathan Cleary, the star rugby league player for the Penrith Panthers, has expressed his doubts about his father, Ivan Cleary, taking over as the head coach of the NSW State of Origin team.
The position became vacant after Brad Fittler stepped down last week.
The NSW Rugby League board has stated that the new coach doesn't have to be independent of an NRL team, so if the best available coach is already employed by an NRL team, it won't matter.
Potential candidates for the coaching position include Ivan Cleary, Craig Bellamy, and Ricky Stuart.
However, Stuart has pulled out of the race, stating that he wants to focus on his role as the coach of the Canberra Raiders.
Ivan Cleary, who has won three consecutive premierships at the Panthers, has been highly regarded as a potential candidate for the NSW coaching role.
When asked about the possibility of his father taking on the coaching position, Nathan Cleary expressed his doubts.
"I don't think dad would do that," he said at Penrith's end of season awards night.
He also admitted that he doesn't know who will replace Fittler and that they will have to wait and see what happens.
It remains to be seen who will ultimately be chosen as the new head coach of the NSW State of Origin team.
The decision will have a significant impact on the team's performance in the upcoming seasons.