The Penrith Panthers have been dealt another major blow to their premiership dynasty, with influential assistant coach Ben Gardiner set to depart at the end of the 2025 season to join the NRL’s newest expansion side, the Perth Bears.
Gardiner has been a key figure in the Panthers’ back-to-back premiership triumphs in 2023 and 2024 under head coach Ivan Cleary and will now team up with Kangaroos legend Mal Meninga in Western Australia.
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The Samoa national team head coach has signed a five-year deal with the Bears beginning in 2026, a year ahead of the club’s official competition debut in 2027. He will play a critical role in recruitment and club culture, and is widely tipped to eventually succeed Meninga as head coach.
“I can’t wait to work closely with new people in Western Australia and build a hugely successful team over the next five years,” Gardiner said in a statement on Thursday. “We aim to promote rugby league and grow the game, while building a culture based on excellence.”
Gardiner brings a wealth of experience across club and international rugby league, including premiership-winning stints at South Sydney in 2014, assistant roles at the Sharks, Roosters, Tigers and New Zealand, and a past head coaching role with the North Sydney Bears in NSW Cup between 2015 and 2017. His deep ties with the Bears brand will be leveraged as the Perth-based outfit merges tradition with a bold new identity.
Mal Meninga lauded Gardiner’s appointment, saying:
“He has Bears DNA, and his knowledge and passion will help lay the right foundations for our future success.”
The Panthers, meanwhile, face increasing disruption to their once-dominant setup. Gardiner follows in the footsteps of former assistants Cameron Ciraldo and Andrew Webster, both of whom left to become head coaches and garnered widespread acclaim. Ciraldo is now at the Bulldogs, while Webster was named Dally M Coach of the Year in 2023 with the Warriors.
Penrith’s front office is also undergoing change, with long-serving CEO Brian Fletcher confirming he will retire in 2026 after 15 years at the helm.
The timing of Gardiner’s exit is another headache for Ivan Cleary, whose squad has been stretched by injury and representative commitments. Star halfback Nathan Cleary is battling a groin injury sustained before State of Origin Game 2, and while he’s expected to return for Round 17 against the Bulldogs, he is among several Panthers missing this weekend’s clash with the Warriors due to travel fatigue from the Perth-to-New Zealand turnaround.
Cleary voiced his frustration with the NRL schedule, calling it “unfair” that his Origin players can’t back up in time due to logistical challenges.
The Panthers, four-time reigning champions, are currently ninth on the ladder heading into Round 16 after recovering from a dire start to the season.
With mounting personnel changes and an evolving competitive landscape, the end of an era may be looming for one of the NRL’s most successful modern dynasties.
