He is a former head coach of the Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors, as well as the four time NRL Premiership winning head coach of the Penrith Panthers, who led the Panthers to four straight premierships in the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 NRL Grand Finals with the Penrith Panthers, becoming the first coach to do so in the NRL era. As a player, Cleary was a goal-kicking fullback who played club football in Australia and New Zealand, setting a new record for most points scored in a season during the 1998 NRL Premiership. He is the father of Panthers' co-captain Nathan Cleary.
Originally a goal-kicking fullback, Cleary was a Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles junior before moving to play Reserve Grade with the Sea Eagles in 1992 and 1993. He started his first grade career with the Manly-Warringah club in 1992 playing two games before getting his chance after the team's first choice fullback Matthew Ridge suffered a season-ending injury in mid-1993. Cleary filled the fullback spot and also proved himself an accurate goal-kicker, filling in for Ridge on both counts and helping Manly to 4th place and a finals berth where they were bundled out 4–16 by the Brisbane Broncos in the Qualifying Final.[citation needed]
In his 15 first grade games for Manly, Cleary scored eight tries and kicked 50 goals (from 71 attempts for 70.4%) for a total of 132 points.[4]
North Sydney Bears
With Ridge set to return in 1994 Cleary signed with Manly's local rivals the North Sydney Bears for 1994 and 1995 seasons where he mainly played in the centres due to the emergence of fullback Matt Seers.[5] He also was the team's second choice goal kicker behind Jason Taylor and in 37 games for the Bears he scored 15 tries but kicked only 5 goals (from 6 attempts) for a total of 70 points.[6]
After leaving the Warriors, Cleary originally intended to join the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League but instead retired to take up a coaching opportunity with the Sydney Roosters.[9] He was Sydney's NSWRL Premier League head coach in 2003 and 2004, winning the latter premiership.[9]
New Zealand Warriors
Cleary returned to New Zealand as assistant coach for the 2005 season. In September 2005, Cleary was appointed as the club's head coach.[10][11]
Cleary coached New Zealand to the 2011 NRL Grand Final against Manly; they lost 24–10. In the following weeks, Cleary announced he was leaving to join Penrith.[12]
Penrith Panthers
Early season injuries and some poor form from the Penrith Panthers saw a tough start to Cleary's return to Sydney with Penrith sitting 15th after Round 19 of the 2012 NRL season with a 4–13 record. In 2014, Cleary took Penrith to the preliminary final before losing to Canterbury. He was named Dally M coach of the year in the same season. He was released the following season after avoiding the wooden spoon with a final round victory over Newcastle.[13][14][15]
Wests Tigers
He was appointed as the coach of the Wests Tigers on 3 April 2017.[16] In Round 22 of the 2017 NRL Season, Cleary coached the Wests Tigers and coached against his son, Nathan Cleary who was playing for the Penrith Panthers in a losing effort by 28–14.
In the 2018 season, Cleary guided Wests to a ninth-placed finish narrowly missing out on a finals spot. On 11 August 2018 Cleary released a prepared statement ending speculation that he would leave the Wests Tigers to coach Penrith. Cleary said: "I advised the Panthers of my ongoing contract status with the Wests Tigers....I intend to honour this contract".[17] On 28 October 2018, following pressure from Cleary, the Wests Tigers released Cleary from the final two years of his contract. Cleary also sent a departing text message to the Tigers playing group saying "G'day boys I hope this finds you well and enjoying your time off, I was writing to you in the hope of beating the press.. to let you know that I will no longer be your coach at Wests Tigers. "This is an extremely uncomfortable situation for me as I have genuine fondness for the club, and I have loved coaching you all.. I understand that this situation has caused some pain for people that I care about, along with putting the club in an awkward situation... I do not feel good about this. "I would have preferred to do this in person but time and circumstances have made that impossible. I hope we meet again soon and I wish you all the very best in the future. You have my number and I am always open for a chat if you wish."[18][19]
Return to the Penrith Panthers
On 29 October 2018, the Penrith Panthers confirmed the return of Ivan Cleary as head coach, on a 5-year deal, beginning in 2019.[20] Ivan linked with his son Nathan Cleary and began his second stint as head coach at the Penrith Panthers.
Cleary's second spell in charge at Penrith got off to a bad start with the club winning only 2 of their first 10 matches leaving the team bottom of the table. Penrith would then go on to win their next 7 games in a row leaving them just outside the finals places. In a must win game against the Sydney Roosters in round 24, Penrith lost the match 22–6 at the Sydney Cricket Ground which meant that the club would miss out on the finals series for the first time since 2015.[21]
In round 8 of the 2020 NRL season, Cleary coached Penrith to a 19–12 victory over the Wests Tigers. Following the full time siren, angry Wests fans shouted abuse at Cleary who was inside the coaches box. Cleary proceeded to wave and blow kisses at the Wests Tigers supporters.[22]
Following Penrith's 28–12 round 13 victory over Canberra in the 2020 NRL season, Cleary questioned the integrity of the referees in the post match press conference by saying he felt Canberra were managed back into the game by the officials. Cleary was later fined $20,000 for his comments.[23]
In round 19 of the 2020 NRL season, Cleary guided Penrith to victory over North Queensland 32–12 at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium. The win was Penrith's 14th in a row and also meant they had claimed the 2020 Minor Premiership, only the third time Penrith had done this in their history.
On 19 October, four years since being sacked as being head coach of the Panthers,
Cleary was named Dally M Coach of the Year for the second time for his efforts of Penrith's 2020 season.[24]
Cleary guided Penrith to the 2020 NRL Grand Final on the back of a 17-game unbeaten streak. In the final, Penrith's opponents were Melbourne who raced out to a 22–0 lead. Penrith fought their way back into the game during the second half but lost the grand final 26–20.[25]
In 2021, Cleary guided the Penrith club to a comfortable 2nd place, on 44 points. This placing them in the qualifying final against South Sydney, in which Penrith were defeated pushing them back into a knock out final the next week. After defeating both the Parramatta Eels and the Melbourne Storm, Penrith qualified for the 2021 NRL Grand Final being held at Suncorp Stadium on 3 October 2021. The Penrith club, with the guidance of Cleary, won the NRL Grand Final against South Sydney, 14–12. This made Cleary a premiership winning coach for the first time after coaching over 370 NRL games.[26]
In 2022, Cleary won his second NRL Premiership in a row as coach of Penrith when he guided his side to a 28–12 win over the Parramatta Eels in what was considered by many experts to be one of the best all round performances from a NRL side in a Grand Final.[27]
In the 2023 NRL season, Cleary guided Penrith to the minor premiership and also their third straight premiership as they defeated Brisbane 26–24 in the 2023 NRL Grand Final. Penrith became the first team since Parramatta in the early 1980s to win three consecutive premierships.[28]
On 24 February 2024, Penrith would lose the 2024 World Club Challenge final against Wigan 16–12 at the DW Stadium in controversial circumstances.[29]
In 2024, he took the Penrith club to their fifth consecutive Grand Final to face Melbourne in a rematch of the 2020 Grand Final. Despite a 23rd minute try to Melbourne's Harry Grant, Penrith answered back when Sunia Turuva scored four minutes later, before eventual Clive Churchill Medalist, Liam Martin put Penrith ahead on the stroke of half time. Melbourne would be left scoreless in the second-half to reverse the result of 2020 and hand Penrith and Cleary their fourth Premiership in a row. The first side to do so since St. George in 1966, as well as extending their record in the NRL era.[30]
