NRL 2022: Nathan Cleary suspended for five games after pleading guilty to dangerous throw on Dylan Brown
The Panthers hopes of claiming the minor premiership has been dealt a massive blow, with Nathan Cleary making a call on his grade three dangerous throw charge.
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Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary will miss the remaining five games of the regular season after entering an early guilty plea for a grade three dangerous throw charge on Parramatta’s Dylan Brown.
The Panthers confirmed on Sunday that Cleary had opted not to contest the charge for the tackle which resulted in him being sent off in Penrith’s loss to the Eels on Friday night.
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Sean O’Sullivan and Jaeman Salmon have emerged as the frontrunners to be Penrith’s new halves with No.6 Jarome Luai also expected to be sidelined until the finals due to a knee injury as the Panthers face a tough run home.
Penrith tackle the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday followed by clashes with the Storm in Penrith, South Sydney at Accor Stadium and the Warriors at the foot of the mountains before they face North Queensland in their final round clash in Townsville.
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Rookie halfback Sean O‘Sullivan and five-eighth Jaeman Salmon have emerged as frontrunners to steer the Panthers all the way to the finals.
Earning the base salary for an NRL contract, cut-price halves O’Sullivan and Salmon are suddenly as important as multimillion-dollar duo Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.
Cleary won’t play again until the finals after being charged by the NRL match review committee for a grade three dangerous throw on Parramatta’s Dylan Brown on Friday night.
Penrith’s most influential player is likely to take the early plea which equates to five weeks on the sidelines — returning in week one of the finals series.
Cleary conceded as much when he took to social media to apologise for the “terrible” tackle.
“Massive apologies for tonight,” Cleary posted on Instagram.
“Filthy at myself for such a dumb moment that let the boys and the fans down.
“I’m not about that, it was terrible technique and I need to be better.”
Luai is out for between four to six weeks with an MCL knee injury.
Penrith officials haven’t given up hope the NSW Origin five-eighth could be back for the final round of the season.
NSW Cup halfback Kurt Falls is another option in the halves for Penrith coach Ivan Cleary.
But it’s O’Sullivan and Salmon — both of whom combined once Cleary was sent off on Friday night — who are favoured to line up against the Raiders in Canberra next Saturday.
The Panthers then face Melbourne (home), South Sydney (away), Warriors (home), Cowboys (away) in the run home to the finals.
O’Sullivan and Salmon helped Penrith win the second half against the Eels 6-4.
But the task is suddenly more formidable with the cut-price duo responsible for holding onto Penrith‘s eight-point lead for the minor premiership.
The rest of the Panthers will also be hoping their own form doesn’t dip as a result of their most dominant half, Cleary, out of the side.
There’s no other way to look at it for Penrith — the difference in class and experience from Cleary and Luai is glaring.
O’Sullivan and Salmon have 63 NRL games worth of experience combined, compared to the 214 games Cleary and Luai have under their belt.
Off to the Dolphins next year, O’Sullivan, 23, is highly-regarded within the Panthers club for his attention to detail and ability to break down the opposition.
Salmon’s story is layered in perseverance.
The Cronulla local junior was almost forced to give the game away due to a serious neck injury as a schoolboy, before being handed a lifeline to join Parramatta in 2018.
His character and drive to make it in the NRL was also questioned after being convicted of drink-driving in the same year.
With the ability to play centre, back row or in the halves, Salmon, 23, scored a base-wage contract with Penrith in 2021.
O’Sullivan said after Friday night’s match that he was willing to fill the shoes of Cleary.
“Yeah, whatever my role is for the team, if that’s me playing No.7 or No.6, I’ll do that to the best of my ability,’’ O’Sullivan said.
“My process is I just need to do my role for the team.
“I’m not going to be Nathan.
“I just need to do my role and whatever my role is I’ll do that to the best of my ability and know the boys have my back and the coaching staff, they instil a lot of belief in me.
“I’m very thankful for them, and I’ll do my job.”
League Immortal Andrew Johns refused to be flustered by the omission of Cleary and Luai, declaring the heavyweights would still go on and win the premiership.
“To put a positive spin on it,” Johns said.
“Nathan and Jarome don’t play until the semi-finals, they have plenty of time off to freshen up and could you imagine how much he (Cleary) would be burning inside.
“Imagine the motivation.
“They showed in the second half (against Parramatta) that when those two (Cleary and Luai) get back … they’ll win the comp.’’
Cleary out until finals after huge ban
Nathan Cleary will not play until the finals after the Panthers halfback was whacked with a long-term ban which threatens to derail Penrith’s hopes of back to back titles.
An emotional Cleary stood in front of his teammates and apologised for his tackle inside the Panthers dressing sheds following their 34-10 loss to Parramatta on Friday night.
The NSW and Panthers star was sent off midway through the first half on for a lifting tackle on Parramatta’s Dylan Brown. He is now facing a five to six week stint on the sidelines. The Panthers were considering their legal options on Saturday afternoon but are unlikely to fight the charge.
The match review committee hit Cleary with a grade three charge on Saturday morning. A week has been added to Cleary’s ban because of a dangerous contact charge in round six meaning his latest indiscretion was his second offence.
He will be rubbed out for the rest of the regular season with an early guilty plea but if fights the charge and loses he will be suspended for six games – ruling him out of Penrith’s first finals match.
The match review committee has come down hard on lifting tackles already this year. Brent Naden (Tigers) and Karl Lawton (Manly) were sent-off and banned for four matches earlier this year for their lifting tackles. The pair were also whacked with a grade three charge but their season-long clean record until that point meant they only missed a month.
The Panthers are now likely to be without Cleary and halves partner Jarome Luai (knee) until the finals. Last year the Panthers were able to nurse Cleary through the business end of the season with a bunged shoulder. Now they will have to make their charge with their most influential player on the sidelines.
He only recently returned from a short-break after the Origin series having travelled to Bali and Melbourne before taking his spot on the field to play Cronulla last round.
Melbourne pair players Nelson Asofa-Solomona (dangerous contact) and Josh King (eye contact) were lucky to escape charges.
Warriors bench player Jackson Frei was hit with a $1000 fine for a dangerous contact incident on Melbourne’s Harry Grant.
There were three charges from Thursday’s match between the Roosters and Manly. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was fined $3000 after his elbow made contact with Manly debutant Zac Fulton while teammate Egan Butcher and Manly’s Alfred Smalley will miss one match each with early guilty pleas.
CLEARY APOLOGISES FOR ‘TERRIBLE’ TACKLE
Nathan Cleary has offered an apology for his dangerous tackle that has placed the rest of his season in jeopardy.
The Penrith playmaker was sent off on Friday night after lifting Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown past the horizontal in a tackle that lost all control.
Offering his own account of the incident for the first time, Cleary used social media to admit the tackle was “terrible.”
“Massive apologies for tonight,” Cleary posted on Instagram.
“Filthy at myself for such a dumb moment that let the boys and the fans down.
“I’m not about that, it was terrible technique and I need to be better.”
Cleary will learn his fate when the NRL match review committee submits their charge sheet on Saturday morning.
TOUGH TIMES AHEAD FOR PREMIERS
At best Luai (knee) won’t return until the final round of the regular season meaning Penrith will need to make do without the NSW halves in the short-term.
While their absence will cause some pain, it should not dent Penrith’s premiership hopes because the duo will be back in time for the big games.
In the interim a lot will be entrusted on Sean O’Sullivan’s shoulders. A teenage prodigy has bounced around from club to club. But now the Dolphins bound O’Sullivan must steer the Panthers around the paddock. It remains to be seen who will partner him. O’Sullivan paired with Kurt Falls during the Origin period and they managed to beat Canterbury and the Tigers.
Their other option is shifting Api Koroisau from dummy half but you nullify one of the game’s best hookers by doing that.
The Panthers fans should keep the faith but this should be enough to make them sweat for the first time in two years.
As bad as @SeaEagles Karl Lawton tackle. Minimum four weeks for @PenrithPanthers Nathan Cleary. @telegraph_sport
— David Riccio (@DaveRic1) July 29, 2022
Correction: Even if Nathan Cleary gets a grade three charge (same as Lawton and Naden) with one prior offence this year, it’s a five-match ban with an early plea. Means he and Luai will both return just on the finals. #NRLEelsPanthers
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) July 29, 2022
IS THIS THE WIN THAT SPARKS EELS TITLE BID?
—Martin Gabor
Just when you thought rugby league couldn’t get any more dramatic after a week of improbable headlines, the greatest game of all delivered once more with Penrith’s premiership hopes taking a huge hit after superstar Nathan Cleary was sent off as a Mitch Moses masterclass inspired Parramatta to win the battle of the west.
The smoke had barely settled from the pre-game fireworks that were supposedly going to be banned, and it seemed a perfect metaphor because Penrith’s future is suddenly clouded with the competition’s best player facing a five-game ban if he’s hit with a grade three charge.
His tackle on Dylan Brown will be the biggest talking point for the next few days after referee Todd Smith was left with no choice but to send Cleary off after just 18 minutes at CommBank Stadium as the Eels romped to a 34-10 win.
“I can understand it,” coach Ivan Cleary said of the send-off.
“I think he’s going to be missing for a bit, I don’t know how long.
“He is [shattered]. He feels like he’s let everyone down.”
What shouldn’t get lost in all the drama is just how well his opposite number played as Parramatta bounced back from last week’s horror show against Brisbane to knock off the Panthers for the second time this season.
Moses has had a quiet few weeks but he delivered perhaps his finest 40 minutes in a Parramatta jersey to keep their top-four hopes alive after some were writing them off as a finals team.
The Parramatta halfback has looked great in big wins against lesser opponents, but he’s never played like this when the stakes were so high.
He nailed a 40/20 kick in each half, forced repeat sets and picked apart the gaps in the defensive line once the Panthers were reduced to 12 men for the first time since Travis Burns was sent off 10 years ago.
It was the sort of performance that should terrify the rest of the NRL, especially if halves partner Dylan Brown continues to complement him so well.
Brown showed no ill effects from the lifting tackle to set up two tries as the Eels lived up to the midweek promise to bash Penrith through the middle with two offloads in the first three plays.
REED ‘EM AND WEEP
A little part of Parramatta fans must die inside whenever they see Reed Mahoney do something special in the blue and gold jersey.
The nuggety No. 9 continues to excel for the Eels but his days are numbered before he heads a little bit south to link up with the Bulldogs next season.
Mahoney was outstanding on Friday night, crossing twice in the first half as he embarrassed Penrith’s markers to dive over for one of the softest tries of 2022.
His service out of dummy-half was superb and his short and long kicking game take so much pressure of Parramatta’s halves.
SEAN MUST ANSWER AN SOS CALL
He’s filled in valiantly when called upon but Sean O’Sullivan is going to have to take it up several gears when he becomes Penrith’s chief playmaker for potentially the rest of the regular season.
The young half came into Friday’s contest relishing the fact that he was going to play alongside good mate Cleary for the first time in any grade, but that partnership is over after 18 minutes.
The signs were promising before Cleary’s send off with O’Sullivan chipping early to force a repeat set before he strolled over for the game’s first points.
O’Sullivan will likely link up with Kurt Falls next week, but that depends on whether the rookie half recovers from an ankle injury in time for the trip to Canberra.
It’s the last thing the Panthers need with rep five-eighth Jarome Luai out for up to five more weeks with a knee injury.
“I’ve got utmost faith in our squad to be able to deal with injuries or guys missing,” Cleary said.
“We’ll have a few challenges over the next few weeks but I’m confident the boys can take it on.”
PANTHER PRIDE
You got the feeling at halftime that Parramatta could have run up a cricket score.
But that never eventuated as the premiers showed their mettle to limit the damage after they trailed 30-4 at the break.
They scored the first try of the second half and had another two disallowed as Parramatta took the foot off the gas.
“I was really proud of the boys. I thought they were courageous,” Cleary said.
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