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Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has given his blessing for highly-touted assistant Cameron Ciraldo to leave the club.
Cleary appears all but resigned to the fact Ciraldo will depart at the end the season, with the Bulldogs widely tipped to secure his services.
Penrith assistant Andrew Webster has signed with the Warriors from next season but Cleary rejected reports Ciraldo has also put pen to paper with a rival club.
“It’s going to happen some day. (But) I can tell you for sure he hasn’t done anything yet,” Cleary said.
“I guess that’s the price of success for us, whether it’s players or coaches, as long as people are moving upwards not sideways you’ve got to be happy for them and I am, it just shows we must be doing something right.”
Cleary was asked in his post-match press conference on Saturday night if 37-year-old Ciraldo was ready for the rigours of being a head coach.
“He’s as ready as he’ll ever be. Some things you’ll never be ready for and head coaching is probably one of them but some people are more ready than others,” Cleary said.
“He’s definitely ready for this shot, he’s done his time but if he wants to do another year of assistant coaching we’ve certainly got a spot here.”
The comments came after Penrith clinched their 17th win of the season, defeating the Sharks 20-10 in a finals precursor.
It marked a ninth straight win for the Panthers - the fourth time they have done so since 2020 - and they’ve lost just one game this season.
The reigning premiers have only lost seven times since 2020 and have won 24 of their past 25 games at Penrith.
If the Wests Tigers defeat the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon, Penrith will be the first team since the Roosters in 1975 to lead the competition by 10 points.
Cleary appears all but resigned to the fact Ciraldo will depart at the end the season, with the Bulldogs widely tipped to secure his services.
Penrith assistant Andrew Webster has signed with the Warriors from next season but Cleary rejected reports Ciraldo has also put pen to paper with a rival club.
“It’s going to happen some day. (But) I can tell you for sure he hasn’t done anything yet,” Cleary said.
“I guess that’s the price of success for us, whether it’s players or coaches, as long as people are moving upwards not sideways you’ve got to be happy for them and I am, it just shows we must be doing something right.”
Cleary was asked in his post-match press conference on Saturday night if 37-year-old Ciraldo was ready for the rigours of being a head coach.
“He’s as ready as he’ll ever be. Some things you’ll never be ready for and head coaching is probably one of them but some people are more ready than others,” Cleary said.
“He’s definitely ready for this shot, he’s done his time but if he wants to do another year of assistant coaching we’ve certainly got a spot here.”
The comments came after Penrith clinched their 17th win of the season, defeating the Sharks 20-10 in a finals precursor.
It marked a ninth straight win for the Panthers - the fourth time they have done so since 2020 - and they’ve lost just one game this season.
The reigning premiers have only lost seven times since 2020 and have won 24 of their past 25 games at Penrith.
If the Wests Tigers defeat the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon, Penrith will be the first team since the Roosters in 1975 to lead the competition by 10 points.