Nathan Cleary expected to return from injury in time to lead Penrith into the NRL finals

Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary has begun to rehabilitate his injured shoulder with the help of his superstar girlfriend Mary Fowler and words of support from teammate Jarome Luai.

PENRITH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 15: Nathan Cleary of the Panthers leaves the field during the round 24 NRL match between Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm at BlueBet Stadium, on August 15, 2024, in Penrith, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Panthers playmaker Jarome Luai has vowed to go down swinging following the revelation that club leader Nathan Cleary is willing to nurse his damaged shoulder towards a historic fourth consecutive premiership.

Cleary has avoided surgery following scans of the left shoulder that forced him from the field against the Storm last Thursday night and which sent shockwaves throughout the NRL.

The champion halfback has been managing the shoulder injury since the pre-season and is planning to push through the pain by returning for week one of the finals.

No stranger to playing hampered by injury, it is the opposite shoulder to which he required surgery after leading the Panthers to their first premiership in 2021.

Cleary was raced off for scans late on Thursday night before spending time at Panthers HQ on Friday morning, where girlfriend Mary Fowler was also spotted.

(L-R) Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.

To the backdrop of deathly silence, Cleary winced in agony as a shocked BlueBet Stadium crowd watched their worst nightmare unfold before their eyes on Thursday night.

Luai was left to fill the void in Cleary’s absence – a role that he is becoming increasingly familiar with due to his half-back’s hamstring issues throughout this season.

With the Raiders, Rabbitohs and Titans to come for Penrith ahead of the finals, Luai’s elevation as the club’s chief playmaker, in what is also his final year at the club, will be paramount.

“I’m definitely disappointed for him,’’ Luai told Triple M.

“He’s spent his fair share on the sidelines this year and that’s footy sometimes.

“You’ve just got to roll with the punches and go with the roller coaster.

“He’s got some good support around him, so we’ll get around the bro and give him our prayers.

“I’m a confident dude.

“I think I was a bit frantic (against the Storm) just trying to chase the points.

“At those times, under pressure, you need a bit of that ice that Nath has and just be that cool, calm and collected voice and stick to our structures.

“But I’m a competitor at the end of the day so I’m not going to go down dying.’’

Instagram image of nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler recently spending time together in the Blue Mountains and Sydney Picture Instagram @_nathancleary

The situation isn’t unlike Luai’s own bravery to pursue the 2023 premiership after he dislocated his shoulder only a fortnight out from last year’s final series.

Luai pushed through the pain before famously succumbing to the injury in the second-half of the 2023 grand final, leaving Cleary to combine with back-up half Jack Cogger to conjure an incredible comeback win over the Broncos.

The Panthers are likely to turn to either Brad Schneider or Jack Cole in Cleary’s absence over the next three weeks.