“There’s been some rumours the last two months that he’s quite keen,” Horan added. “I’ve heard it totally separate, he’s quite keen to come to rugby. “I don’t think it’s the right thing for Australian rugby to do, we’ve got a lot of talent coming through. “But I tell you what, if Nathan Cleary says ‘I’m interested in playing the game’ you’ve got to have a coffee.” Cleary, who admitted in 2023 he was curious about one day making a switch to rugby, is on contract with Penrith until the end of 2027, and earns $1.3 million a season. His next contract would likely be substantially bigger, too, with the NRL salary cap expected to sharply increase in 2028.