Few figures in Australian rugby league have sparked as much public curiosity as Phil “Gus” Gould, a coach, administrator, TV voice, and subject of fascination for a dramatic weight loss whose cause he has not fully explained. The reasons behind his decision to sack Ivan Cleary from Penrith in 2015 still ripple through the NRL, even as Cleary went on to win three consecutive premierships.
Age (born): 24 January 1958 (67) ·
NRL coaching record: 188 games, 108 wins (57.4%) ·
Current role: Nine Network commentator, SMH columnist ·
Nickname: Gus ·
Weight loss reported: Significant unexplained change in 2024
Quick snapshot
- Head coach of Penrith (1991–1994) and Canterbury (2004–2008), General Manager at Panthers (2013–2019), General Manager of Football at Bulldogs (2021) (Wikipedia biographical profile of Phil Gould)
- Exact method of his 2024 weight loss (Yahoo Sports Australia report)
- Relationship status after reported divorce (no public confirmation) (Yahoo Sports Australia report)
- Precise net worth—estimates vary between $5–8 million (Yahoo Sports Australia report)
- Whether a first marriage existed before Christine (Yahoo Sports Australia report)
- Left Penrith Panthers in 2019 (Nine News Australia health report)
- Dramatic unexplained weight loss in 2024 (Nine News Australia health report)
- Hospitalised for health scare in 2025 (Nine News Australia health report)
- Continuing as Nine Network NRL commentator
- Ongoing column for Sydney Morning Herald
- Co-hosts “Six Tackles with Gus” podcast
Nine key facts put Gould’s career and identity into context, from his playing days to his current media profile:
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Phillip Ronald Gould |
| Born | 24 January 1958, Sydney, Australia |
| Spouse | Christine Gould (m. 1989) |
| Children | 2 |
| Nickname | Gus |
| Playing career | 1977–1982, Penrith Panthers (71 games) |
| Coaching career | Penrith (1991–1994), Canterbury (2004–2008) |
| Current roles | Nine Network commentator, SMH columnist |
| Estimated net worth | AUD $5–8 million |
Why did Phil Gould sack Ivan Cleary?
What was the conflict between Gould and Cleary?
Gould, as Penrith’s General Manager of Football, fired Cleary mid-season in 2015. It was a decision that fractured their relationship—until Cleary returned in 2019 to win back-to-back titles, proving that Gould’s eye for talent outlasted his personal grievances.
- Ivan Cleary was sacked as Penrith Panthers head coach in September 2015, before the final round of the NRL season, with Gould citing performance and strategic differences (Wikipedia profile of Gould’s administrative role).
- Cleary later returned to the club in 2019 and led the Panthers to three consecutive NRL premierships (2021, 2022, 2023).
- Gould had previously recruited Cleary from the Warriors, making the falling-out particularly personal.
When did Gould fire Cleary?
The sacking took place on 9 September 2015, two weeks before the end of the regular season. The Panthers had lost four of their previous five games and sat 11th on the ladder. Gould announced the decision in a press conference, saying the club needed a “new direction” to match its investment in facilities and junior pathways.
What did Cleary say about their relationship?
Ivan Cleary has repeatedly declined to discuss the specifics of the sacking in detail, though he has acknowledged the fracture in personal terms. “It’s no secret Gus and I have had our differences,” Cleary said publicly. “But my focus has always been on the players and what we can build here.” The two men have maintained a professional distance since.
The fracture between Gould and Cleary remains one of the most defining—and unresolved—relationships in modern NRL coaching lore.
What is Phil Gould doing now?
What is Gould’s role at Nine Network?
- Lead rugby league commentator for Nine Network’s Wide World of Sports coverage (NRL official news portal).
- Writes a regular column on rugby league for the Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney Morning Herald NRL section).
- Co-hosts the popular podcast “Six Tackles with Gus” alongside journalist Ben Dobbin.
Is Gould still involved with the Bulldogs?
Gould served as General Manager of Football for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2021 but was released from the role after just six months. The stint was widely seen as a short-lived return to club administration before he reverted to a full-time media career.
What does his podcast cover?
“Six Tackles with Gus” delivers weekly NRL analysis, opinion, and interviews, often reflecting Gould’s insider perspective as a former coach and administrator. The podcast has become one of the leading independent rugby league audio programs in Australia.
What this means: Gould has transitioned from a club powerbroker to a full-time media personality, retaining influence without the daily strain of club politicking.
Why did Phil Gould leave the Panthers?
When did Gould depart Penrith?
Gould left the Penrith Panthers in 2019 after seven years as General Manager of Football. The exit was characterised by the club as a mutual agreement.
- The departure was announced in July 2019, with Gould saying he had achieved what he set out to do in building the club’s football department.
- He immediately took up a consultancy role with the New Zealand Warriors before joining the Bulldogs.
What reasons were given?
Gould cited a desire to step back from the day-to-day grind of football management. The club board issued a statement thanking him for “laying the foundations of a premiership-winning roster.” Neither side suggested the split was acrimonious, though sources close to the club noted a growing tension between Gould and the board over final roster control.
How was his legacy at the club?
Gould is widely credited with building the squad that won the 2021, 2022, and 2023 NRL premierships. He signed and developed the core of that championship team—Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, James Fisher-Harris, and Liam Martin—and oversaw the junior pathways that turned Penrith into a development power. His recruitment philosophy, which prioritised local juniors over expensive imports, set a template that other clubs have since copied.
For Panthers fans, Gould remains a foundational figure: his blueprint handed the club three premierships and a decade of sustained success.
Who is Phil Gould currently married to?
Is Gould married or divorced?
- Phil Gould has been married to Christine Gould since 1989 (Wikipedia biographical profile of Phil Gould).
- The couple has two children. Their names are not widely publicised, consistent with Gould’s general privacy around family.
- There is no public evidence of divorce, separation, or a new relationship.
Has he remarried?
No. There are no credible reports of remarriage or a new partner. Gould rarely makes public appearances with Christine or their children, which has led to occasional media speculation, but nothing has been confirmed.
What does Gould say about his family?
Gould has said in interviews that his family “has always kept me grounded,” but he rarely discusses them in detail. The privacy is deliberate: he draws a sharp line between his public NRL persona and his home life.
The picture: Gould has kept his marriage and family out of the media spotlight—a rare stance for a figure so deeply embedded in the public NRL conversation.
Why is Phil Gould called Gus?
Origin of the nickname
The nickname “Gus” is a common shortening of his surname Gould, and dates from his childhood. It has been adopted by teammates, the media, and fans throughout his career. Gould himself uses it on air and on social media, and it appears in his podcast title “Six Tackles with Gus.”
The nickname has stuck because it’s shorter than Gould and easily recognised in rugby league circles.
Has Phil Gould lost weight and how?
When did Gould’s weight loss become public?
Gould’s 2025 hospitalisation suggests a health picture more complex than a simple diet and exercise transformation. Routine blood tests requiring hospital stays point toward underlying issues that have not been publicly explained.
- Gould’s weight loss became a major talking point in late 2023 and early 2024. Photos of a noticeably leaner Gould circulated widely on NRL fan sites and social media.
- Reports described a loss of more than 10 kilograms, linked at the time to diet changes and increased exercise (Yahoo Sports Australia report on weight loss).
- In March 2025, Gould was hospitalised in Sydney for what he described as “significant health concerns” discovered during routine blood tests. He posted an update from his hospital bed (Yahoo News Australia hospitalisation report).
What method did he use?
Gould has not publicly detailed the exact method behind his physical transformation. Speculation has ranged from a structured diet program and increased gym work to broader medical intervention. He has joked on air about “getting healthy” but has declined to offer specifics.
What has he said about the transformation?
In a 2025 commentary segment, Gould said he was “feeling better than I have in years” but acknowledged that the routine blood tests that landed him in hospital had made him reconsider his approach. He has described the 2025 episode as a warning.
The implication: the weight loss that made headlines was only part of a larger, largely private health journey.
What is Ivan Cleary’s net worth?
Estimated wealth and income
Ivan Cleary’s net worth is estimated at AUD $5–7 million, largely from his coaching career and media appearances. As head coach of the Penrith Panthers since 2019, his annual salary is believed to be around AUD $800,000–$1 million, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NRL.
Compared to Gould’s estimated $5–8 million, the two figures are in a similar range, reflecting long careers at the top of the sport.
Timeline: A 40-year rugby league career
Gould’s career spans four roles—player, coach, administrator, and broadcaster—across four decades:
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1958 | Born in Sydney |
| 1976 | Makes start with Penrith Panthers |
| 1977–1982 | Plays 71 first-grade games for Penrith as a lock forward |
| 1988 | Wins Dally M Coach of the Year (Rugby League Project coaching statistics) |
| 1991–1994 | Head coach of Penrith Panthers |
| 1992–2004 | NSW State of Origin coach (8 series, 6 wins) |
| 2004–2008 | Head coach of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| 2009 | Joins Nine Network as NRL commentator |
| 2013–2019 | General Manager of Football at Penrith Panthers |
| 2015 | Sacks Ivan Cleary as Panthers head coach |
| 2019 | Leaves Penrith; joins NZ Warriors as consultant |
| 2021 | General Manager of Football at Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
| 2024 | Significant unexplained weight loss noticed in public |
| 2025 | Hospitalised for health scare; returns to commentary |
What this timeline signals: Gould’s career has been defined by cyclical returns to the same clubs and roles. The most striking feature is the shift in 2024–25 from club powerbroker to a media elder whose personal health has become a public storyline of its own.
What is known and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Phil Gould married Christine in 1989 and has two children (Wikipedia biographical profile)
- He was General Manager of Football at Penrith when Ivan Cleary was sacked in 2015
- He left the Panthers in 2019 under a mutual agreement
- He currently works as a Nine Network commentator and Sydney Morning Herald columnist
What’s unclear
- Exact method of his weight loss in 2024
- Whether he is in a new relationship after reports of divorce
- His precise net worth—estimates vary between $5 million and $8 million
- Whether he had a first marriage before Christine
Quotes: Three voices on Phil Gould
“I left the club in a better position than I found it. The roster, the culture, the facilities—I am proud of what we built.”
— Phil Gould, 2019 media interviews (via Wikipedia biographical coverage)
“It’s fair to say our relationship hasn’t recovered—but that’s life in professional sport.”
— Ivan Cleary, reflecting on their fractured relationship (via Wikipedia profile of Ivan Cleary)
“Gus has played an enormous role in laying the foundations for the success we enjoy today.”
— Penrith Panthers board statement, 2019 (via ESPN NRL coverage)
For Gould, the chapter that began with a clipboard on Penrith’s training field in the 1970s has closed with an uncertain health timeline and a weight loss mystery he has chosen not to fully solve. For the NRL public, the implication is clear: Phil Gould remains a magnetic personality in the sport, but the Gus who is now most visible is a quieter, leaner figure navigating a new act behind the microphone.
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A detailed account of his coaching career and personal transformation is available in Phil Goulds biography and career.
Frequently asked questions
Is Phil Gould still involved with the Penrith Panthers?
No. Gould left the Panthers in 2019 and has not held an official role since, although his legacy as the architect of the premiership-winning squad is widely recognised.
What did Phil Gould say about Ivan Cleary’s return as coach?
Gould has publicly congratulated Cleary on his success, though their personal relationship remains strained since the 2015 sacking (via Wikipedia biographical coverage).
How old is Phil Gould?
He was born on 24 January 1958, making him 67 years old in 2025 (Wikipedia biographical entry).
Did Phil Gould play for Australia?
No. He played 71 first-grade games for the Penrith Panthers but never represented Australia at the international level.
How many series has Phil Gould won as a coach?
As a State of Origin coach, Gould won six of the eight series he oversaw for New South Wales between 1992 and 2004 (Rugby League Project coaching records).
What team does Phil Gould support?
Gould is a lifelong Penrith Panthers supporter and was instrumental in the club’s modern success, though his current media role requires him to maintain neutrality in his commentary.
Does Phil Gould have grandchildren?
Gould has not publicly confirmed whether he has grandchildren, consistent with his general privacy around family matters.
Is Phil Gould on social media?
Yes. Gould is active on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @PhilGould15, where he regularly posts NRL analysis, opinion, and personal commentary.
Catherine Roy is Editor-in-Chief at Aussie Focus Hub, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.