On Friday, the Panthers gave a positive update on Cleary’s condition, stating that although he dislocated his shoulder on Thursday night, he won’t need surgery.
Cleary exited the field during the second half of Penrith’s 24-22 defeat to the Melbourne Storm and had scans on Friday to determine the severity of his injury. Fortunately, the results showed only minor damage, so surgery won’t be necessary.
Cleary might miss as few as two games and could be back in time for the NRL finals in three weeks. However, the Panthers are taking a cautious approach and hope to have him ready for the finals as they aim for a fourth consecutive NRL title.
Despite Cleary being one of the top halfbacks in the game, Thurston believes playing him in the finals could actually diminish the Panthers’ chances. He pointed out that a shoulder injury makes a player a prime target in the defense, with opponents likely to focus on exploiting the weakened area.
“Playing with a busted shoulder is tough … you become a target. Every team will direct their back rowers and forwards at him to test it,” Thurston told Nine. “When you’re carrying an injury like that, if he returns for the prelims or finals, they’ll definitely target him.”
Nathan Cleary’s impact since his return from a hamstring injury has been significant, as he led the Panthers to three wins in five games, including crucial moments like a game-winning field goal against the Dolphins and a decisive try against the Knights.
Given Cleary’s ability to change the course of games, the Panthers might have him study Cooper Cronk’s performance in the Roosters’ 2018 grand final victory to draw inspiration. Despite playing with a broken scapula, Cronk was instrumental in leading the Roosters to a 21-6 win over the Storm, despite not running the ball or making many tackles.