'Knew something was up': Cleary on JFH departure

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary admits that while he wasn't expecting a request for a release to come of it, he had sensed something wasn't right with star prop James Fisher-Harris in recent times. 

The 28-year-old Kiwi was granted a release from the remaining two years of his contract with the Panthers on April 17, before the Warriors announced the signing of the golden boot winner on a four-year deal starting in 2025. 

"I can't really say I felt it coming, but luckily I have been around him long enough to know that he hasn't been himself," Cleary said following his side's victory over the Wests Tigers in Bathurst on Saturday. 

Didn't predict that [a release request] was going to be the thing, but I kind of knew something was up.

Ivan Cleary

"I'm just glad we could do it quickly and respectfully. 

"I'm happy for him and his family... we'll be fine, we'll just worry about this year, we've got him now."

Fisher-Harris shook off a quiet opening stint to come up with a late try that put his side's fourth win of the year beyond doubt in Round 7, with Cleary saying the signs of mental fatigue were there early on. 

"I thought at the start of the game you could see that it's been a very big week or two for Fish, he's been carrying that emotional burden for a long time," Cleary said. 

"It's not surprising that he was a bit sapped of energy and stuff, but it was great to see in that second stint he really showed some good signs.

"Hopefully he can move on and we will see the best of Fish again."

Post-match Fisher-Harris paid credit to the club and western Sydney community for helping him become the man and player he is today. 

"I’ve been here for 10 years now, since I was a kid," he told Fox Sports. 

"The village has sort of raised me, west Sydney, Penrith.

"I have still got a long season ahead... I am just making the most of it."

Prior to kick-off in Bathurst, Panthers CEO Matt Cameron told ABC Sport that once a request was made by Fisher-Harris it was a straightforward and fast decision for club leadership to make. 

"James approached the club on Sunday and it was a pretty quick conversation between the head coach, Brian Fletcher (Panthers Group CEO) and myself," Cameron said.

"We met on Monday and we'd made that decision. He'd expressed an interest to return home, which we were never going to stand in front of. 

"What he's done for us and our club, we were never going to stand in his way of any decision he wanted to make about returning home to New Zealand."

Cameron, who said the club resisted seeking a player swap or compensation out of respect for Fisher-Harris, also confirmed the Panthers remain hopeful of keeping Jett Cleary – who is the younger brother of star No.7 Nathan – despite rumoured interested from the Warriors. 

“Webby (Warriors coach Andrew Webster) has always been a fan (of Jett). He is off-contract," Cameron told ABC Sport.

“I haven’t seen a contract offer from the Warriors, but he is a Panther, we would like to think we would be in a competitive space to (re-sign) him.”