A ticking time bomb: Can Cleary’s shoulder survive one more game?

Nathan Cleary has been warned his shoulder is a ticking time bomb which could “go in the first minute of the grand final” as he tries to carry the Panthers to a fourth straight premiership with a hand injury he kept secret for a fortnight.

An upbeat Cleary has brushed aside any doubts he will be right for the grand final against the Storm despite clutching at his shoulder in the dying minutes of Penrith’s preliminary final win over the Sharks on Saturday.

His dad and coach, Ivan, pulled Nathan from the field with six minutes left as a precaution.

It was just Cleary’s second match back after a stint on the sidelines when he subluxed his shoulder, coincidentally against Melbourne in a late-season match at BlueBet Stadium.

The champion halfback again played without the help of painkilling injections, which wouldn’t assist the structural problem of torn tissues holding his shoulder together. Cleary is likely to need off-season surgery.

His NSW State of Origin doctor and one of Australia’s most respected medicos, Dr Nathan Gibbs, warned an aggravation of his shoulder injury could come at any time, as former Panthers junior and Melbourne back-rower Shawn Blore plans to terrorise him in the decider.

Nathan Cleary is nursing shoulder and hand injuries leading into the grand final.Credit: Getty Images

“It is one of those injuries that, unfortunately for Nathan, could happen in the first minute of the grand final,” Gibbs said. “He played [in the first week of the finals] and was very physical and nothing went wrong with it. Right at the end of this game [on Saturday night] he obviously had an episode.

“If it’s hit in the wrong way with enough force it will cause it to have a subluxation event and, when it slips a little bit and goes straight back in, it just hurts.

“It can be dysfunctional for a period of time, which can be variable. It can be a few moments, two or three minutes, and then it comes good. There’s not much doubt he’s had a little slip of the shoulder or a little subluxation event, if that’s what his problem is and been reported. That’s not uncommon. But players can play with it.

“I know Nathan from Origin, and he is pretty tough. He plays well injured. Some players do, some players don’t – and he certainly does.”

Perhaps further mystery surrounds Cleary’s hand injury, which caused him to wear thick strapping around his right wrist in another masterclass against the Sharks.

According to sources speaking under the condition of anonymity because they couldn’t discuss the matter publicly, Cleary suffered the problem during Penrith’s qualifying final win over the Roosters a fortnight ago.

On Saturday night, Cleary denied it was broken – and nothing more than “a little bump” – but wore heavy protection.

It’s believed x-rays cleared the 26-year-old of a break, but there was potentially significant bone bruising, which is why the Panthers took precautions to prevent it from copping another knock.

But most focus will be on his troublesome shoulder, mirroring halves partner Jarome Luai, who carried a similar problem into last year’s grand final and was replaced before the hour by Jack Cogger.

Brad Schneider has been given the role of Cleary’s insurance on the bench throughout this finals series.

“He works hard at everything he does,” Schneider said. “He’s always in the gym working hard on himself. He’s making sure he can get through.”

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