He's the NRL's most-wanted man, and once the State of Origin period wraps up, it appears Cameron Ciraldo might be finally ready to make a call on his future.
Not including Penrith, where he currently stands as Ivan Cleary' right hand man, there has been at least three clubs chasing Ciraldo's signature for the top job, and as many as three more set to join the race for the rookie coach.
Ciraldo has stepped in flawlessly this year with Ivan missing numerous matches with a blood clot following knee surgey, leading Penrith to the very peak of the ladder, having lost just one match in the opening 17 rounds of the competition.
Canterbury, New Zealand and the Wests Tigers have all made enquiries after sacking their respective coaches earlier in the year, with the Bulldogs the only club of the three to have not reportedly signed a replacement for 2023.
Andrew Webster will join the Warriors on a three-year deal, while Tim Sheens is expected to return to his former job, holding the clipboard at Concord from 2023 onwards.
Canterbury remain favourites, especially given Ciraldo's Panthers connection with Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau and Gus Gould, however we could yet see Newcastle, Parramatta and the Gold Coast join the race, all of which are monitoring the situation.
Both Adam O'Brien and Justin Holbrook appear to be on their last legs unless they can complete a miraculous turnaround, while Brad Arthur is the safest of the three, he is starting to garner scrutiny for failing to continually improve the Eels.
Under his tutelage, they have made the finals four times, however have failed to make a single preliminary final, going out in straight sets twice following top four finishes.
It leaves Ciraldo with the pick of the litter, not to mention the extension hanging over his head at the Panthers.
Even if the assistant coach does take up a one-year extension, it's believed there will be a get-out clause allowing Ciraldo to walk away from the foot of the mountains if he confirms a head coaching role before November 1.
Gus Gould, who has been quiet on the coaching recruitment front, may yet still try to snare Ciraldo for 2024 if he opts to stay put next year, the Canterbury General Manager comfortable with handing interim coach Mick Potter a one-year deal to get the house in order.
Ciraldo isn't expected to make a call on his future until after the Origin period is over, with Penrith resting all seven of their New South Wales stars for this week's clash with cellar-dwellers Wests Tigers.
