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Championship side confirm three-year partnership with Penrith Panthers

One of the high-flying Championship teams for both IMG grades and performance have announced a partnership with NRL champs Penrith Panthers.

Announced as a three-year partnership ‘aimed at strengthening growth in rugby league’, York Knights are the team in question with the club linking up with the four-time consecutive NRL champions Penrith Panthers.

It’s a partnership that appears to have come to fruition out of the blue, but it could be massively beneficial to the Knights and York’s Women’s side, the Valkyrie.

Both Penrith Panthers and York Knights would share a joint statement announcing the partnership, one that had been committed to and formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

An MOU is fairly self-descriptive but it does not go as far as a contract would go and cannot result in either party being legally forced to fulfil their side of the bargain, however, it is still a major boost for York to be affiliated with a club on the scale of Penrith Panthers.

Penrith Panthers partner with high-flying York

NRL superstar Nathan Cleary

Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

Both Penrith and York are coming off very good 2024 seasons with the Panthers securing the NRL title for a fourth consecutive time, the Knights making the Championship semi-finals and earning a strong Grade B IMG grade, whilst York Valkyrie would win the Grand Final against rivals St Helens.

York Valkyrie were specifically noted within the comments made by Penrith CEO Matt Cameron with the Panthers: “Excited about learning from York Valkyrie, the back-to-back WOmen’s Super League champions, as we strive to elevate the women’s game at Panthers.”

The statement read: “Penrith Panthers and York RLFC and excited to announce a three-year partnership aimed at strengthening growth in rugby league.

“This collaboration brings together the NRL Premiers and the Championship-contending York Knights, alongside the back-to-back Women’s Super League Champions, York Valkyrie.

“This collaboration, formalised through a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), aims to enhance growth in key areas such as youth development, commercial innovation, and international talent pathways for both men’s and women’s rugby league.”

Panthers Rugby League CEO Matt Cameron expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are thrilled to collaborate with York RLFC. This partnership will not only foster shared knowledge and resources but also strengthen our commitment to the growth of rugby league at all levels.”

What York’s chairman said of the partnership

Credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com

After the announcement of the IMG scores, RL Commercial Director Rhodri Jones would label York as a ‘standout’ given the strides they had made and a partnership such as this, with NRL champions Penrith Panthers, could only serve to strengthen their standing.

York RLFC Chairman Clint Goodchild shared his excitement: “Over the past two years we have been fortunate enough to build a relationship with Matt Cameron and his amazing staff. This included two visits to the Panthers facilities and offices. I was humbled that Matt would take the time to give me a tour of their impressive operation. Upon doing so I could see why they have had so much success on and off the field.

“The people in the organisation couldn’t have been more generous with their time. We’ve learnt so much from those experiences and to now have a formal partnership in place I am excited to continue that education and to openly share our vision, experiences, and knowledge.
“The mutual ground that helped bring the two clubs together was our shared philosophy around the importance of community, no club in the world has had more success in developing the sport at a youth and community level then Penrith. To have a blueprint on how that was achieved is exciting as we look to launch our Academy in the near future.”
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