Griffin to be named Panthers coach

Anthony Griffin is expected to be officially announced as Penrith’s new NRL coach at the side’s Pepper Stadium base on Wednesday.

The Panthers have called a 10am press conference, at which the former Brisbane mentor is set to be announced as the successor to Ivan Cleary.

Cleary was sensationally sacked by Panthers supremo Phil Gould on Monday. The former State of Origin mentor said he believed Cleary needed a break from coaching.

“Ivan Cleary has worked hard for Panthers. I’ve known him for over 20 years so this was a very difficult decision. In the end, I believe this is right for Ivan and I know it is the right time for Panthers,” Gould wrote on his Twitter account of the decision.

Griffin spent four years at Red Hill and was moved aside ahead of the 2015 season to make way for returning supercoach Wayne Bennett.

Cleary spent four seasons at the foot of the mountains after leaving the Warriors following their 2011 grand final loss to Manly.

He was brought to Penrith with much fanfare by Gould and led the Panthers to the preliminary final in 2014.

This year, however, the Panthers only narrowly avoided the wooden spoon courtesy of a final-round win over last-placed Newcastle.

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