Wests Tigers announced yesterday that they had released Ivan Cleary, allowing them to sign former South Sydney premiership coach Michael Maguire. It means that every club has settled their short-term coaching situation. The only question remaining is whether Souths and Brisbane will swap Wayne Bennett and Anthony Seibold now or at the end of next season.

With the final pieces of the NRL coaching jigsaw in place, we take a look at where the clubs stand and which club has come out on top.

Penrith Panthers - Ivan Cleary

It is hard to understand what is going through Ivan Cleary's mind. After going close to the wooden spoon with the Panthers in 2015, he was sacked by Gus Gould. He spent a couple of years in the coaching wilderness before signing a four-year contract with Wests Tigers at the beginning of the 2017 season. He put the cleaners through the club, famously saying that he was driving the team bus and only wanted to keep players who were "on the bus".

With the success of Nathan Cleary at club and state level in 2018, rumours began circulating that Ivan would one day like to coach his son. Keen Tigers fans hoped this could mean that Nathan would climb on board Ivan's bus, but the Panthers locked Nathan into a long-term contract extension. Talk then turned to Ivan Cleary's return to the Panthers, amid speculation that he had agreed to a three-year deal commencing at the end of his Tigers stint. The Tigers couldn't allow him to continue coaching the club with one foot in the Panthers' door - the bus had crashed.

The reason all this is relevant to Ivan Cleary's coaching potential is that players need to buy into the message the coach is selling. Cleary's bus analogy at the Tigers, saw them come together and perform above expectations. Will the Panthers players buy into what Cleary is now selling, considering he was deemed not good enough to coach the club just four years earlier? Do they see a guy who is more interested in coaching his son than he is in meeting his commitments to them as a playing group? How long before Gould becomes impatient again?

Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary speaks to the media. Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

Wests Tigers - Michael Maguire

Michael Maguire was hailed as a hero of Redfern when in 2014 he led the Rabbitohs to their first premiership title since 1971. Two short years later he had "lost the dressing room" as rumours circulated of a playing group who felt they were being worked too hard and were too harshly disciplined. Maguire's no-nonsense, hard-working ethos had worn thin and he was sacked despite having a couple of years remaining on his contract.

Maguire takes over the Tigers at an interesting stage of their existence. During Ivan Cleary's two-year reign they have lost Mitchell Moses and James Tedesco, signed Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye from the Bulldogs and welcomed back veterans Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah. They also toughened up their pack by replacing Aaron Woods with Russell Packer and Ben Matulino. Maguire faces the challenge of moving the club forward with Marshall and Farah nearing the end of their careers.

He is currently coaching the New Zealand national team and lead them to an upset victory over the Kangaroos. Players certainly know where they stand with Maguire. It's work hard, work his way, give it your all or find something else to do with your weekends. He is just what the Tigers need at this time, a coach they know they can believe in. A coach with recent premiership and international success.

Coach Michael Maguire celebrates with Kevin Proctor and Jordan Rapana after New Zealand's surprise win over Australia. Hannah Peters/Getty Images

South Sydney Rabbitohs - Wayne Bennett

When it became clear that Anthony Seibold was being head hunted by the Brisbane Broncos, the Rabbitohs knew they would be without a coach at the end of the 2019 season. Seibold is from Brisbane and has made no secret of his desire to return to the Sunshine State. Wayne Bennett was keen to stay with the Broncos for as long as he felt like being a coach, at which point he envisaged taking an office position, to oversee the whole football operation. The Broncos board felt it was time to call an end to Bennett's long association with the club.

Whether it be 2019 or 2020 the Rabbitohs will welcome one of the NRL's greatest ever coaches. Bennett had incredible success with the Broncos, before mercenary missions with the Dragons and Knights. He won a premiership with the Dragons, before being far less successful in Newcastle. It is never said that Bennett's methods or style are from a by-gone era. He manages to move with the times and adjust his game plans and style of play to suit. He has a very close relationship with the Burgess brothers who he coaches at International level. They'll let their Rabbitohs teammates know what to expect, and he should slip nicely into the new role.

The Bunnies are premiership ready, although losing Angus Crichton this year won't help. Bennett will be expected to bring the club almost instant success. They have the roster, they have the experience and they'll expect Bennett to get them over the line.

Wayne Bennett Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Brisbane Broncos - Anthony Seibold

Anthony Seibold won the 2018 Dally M coach of the year award after leading the Rabbitohs to a top four finish in his first year in charge. They were just one win away from a grand final appearance, losing 12-4 to the Roosters in the preliminary final. Seibold took over the Bunnies after Michael Maguire was fired at the end of 2017, despite having a premiership under his belt and two years remaining on his contract.

Get the ESPN App from the iTunes App Store to get the latest sports scores, news and videos. Download the app now. DOWNLOAD

Seibold's coaching style was less hard-line and more player-inclusive than Maguire's and the Rabbitohs players clearly responded. He will take over the Broncos, who have a strong roster, but carry the weight of expectation for a whole city. The Broncos have always been successful, they expect to win, the fans demand it. Seibold should have no trouble working with the players, but if the Broncos slip down the ladder under his watch, his position at the club will quickly come into question.

The 2018 Dally M Coach of the Year, South Sydney's Anthony Seibold. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - Des Hasler

With Trent Barrett determined to leave the club, Manly were almost desperate to find a coach that could take them forward, despite some financial difficulties. Their initial approach to Michael Maguire was reportedly rejected, so they turned their attention to locking in a Manly man. Going on what Barrett has said about the Spartan equipment and facilities at the club, a Manly man might just be someone who has experienced that situation and performed regardless.

Hasler has long been known to value a chin-up over any expensive weights equipment and probably finds the demountable office facilities to his liking. He returns with a fan base behind him, a very good roster and a proven record at the club. It is however, a record marred by salary cap management issues which he has since denied.

CEO Lyall Gorman , Chairman Scott Penn and new Manly Coach Des Hasler at a Manly Sea Eagles NRL press conference. Mark Evans/Getty Images

Despite being devastated when news filtered through that Ivan Cleary would be leaving the club to coach his son at the Panthers, the Tigers can look back at this turbulent time with a degree of satisfaction. They will have a proven coach at the helm for the next three years after a deal which reportedly see a large chunk of his salary being paid by the Panthers. The Panthers are really taking a huge risk in thinking Cleary and son are the answer to their premiership dreams.

Get the ESPN App from the Google Play Store to get the latest sports scores, news and videos. Download the app now. DOWNLOAD

The Broncos will be hoping that Seibold's fresh approach sees them return to the top of the NRL premiership, while the Rabbitohs figure they can't go too far wrong with Bennett at the club. Manly, well they have gone back to a man who steered them to their last premiership, on the back of some questionable recruitment methods. He could both return the Sea Eagles to the top - and send them bust.