NRL 2020: Nathan Cleary TikTok video, reported lies

Rugby League legend Laurie Daley says Nathan Cleary would be “dirty” at himself after the NRL uncovered the truth of his TikTok scandal.

NRL Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary has been caught breaking social distancing laws on Anzac Day. Supplied

Nathan Cleary’s alleged lies to the NRL integrity unit have been revealed after the Panthers captain was on Monday night hit with a two-match suspension.

Rugby League legend Laurie Daley on Wednesday morning said Cleary would be “dirty” at himself after The Daily Telegraph first reported his alleged series of fibs uncovered during the investigation into his TikTok video scandal.

A remorseful Cleary on Tuesday described his actions as “irresponsible, selfish and pretty stupid” and vowed to grow from his brush with the law.

The Penrith star, as well as teammate Tyrone May, on Tuesday accepted their two- game NRL ban for social distancing breaches, which included a hefty $30,000 fine for being “untruthful” in dealings with the league’s integrity unit.

The Telegraph report outlines those “untruthful” comments include the fact that the 22-year-old allegedly lied a second time to the Integrity Unit.

He was earlier busted trying to cover up the extent of a social-distancing breach when a TikTok video showing him with a group of girls contradicted his own story.

Now the Telegraph reports Cleary is also alleged to have broken social distancing by leaving his house to pick up the group of girls before they returned to his home.

The report claims Cleary was not at home for the entire day before the group of girls returned to his house on Anzac Day.

He had originally claimed the girls were down the road and turned up uninvited. He said he invited them into his house as they waited 10 minutes for an Uber to arrive.

NRL Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary has been caught breaking social distancing.

The TikTok video shows they stayed for much longer.

Fox Sports reporter James Hooper labelled Cleary’s early declaration as a “blatant porky”.

“Nathan’s probably lucky he only got two games and a $30,000 fine now that the full story has come to light,” he told Fox League Live.

Daley on Wednesday said Cleary will feel that he let his teammates down.

“You’d hope he’s learned a valuable lesson,” Daley told Sky Sports Radio.

“You need to be honest and you need to be up front. Most people thought it was just an innocent mistake, but there is a little bit more to it.

“He’s done something that’s surprised a lot of people by breaking rules.

“He’ll be dirty on himself. But now he’s got a couple of weeks to think about letting himself down, letting his teammates down. All he can do is get himself prepared to play football in round five.”

May, already two games into a separate four-game suspension for intentionally recording an intimate image without consent, also copped a $15,000 fine.

Cleary issued an apology in a video featured on the Panthers’ official website on Tuesday.

“I’m obviously embarrassed with myself and I’m not happy with what I’ve done,” Cleary said.

“I just to want to apologise for my actions. My actions were irresponsible, selfish and pretty stupid, to be honest.

“I brought a lot of negative attention to not only myself, but my family, the club, the game as well, and that’s what has hurt me the most.

Nathan Cleary will be back in round five.

“To move on from here I need to realise I can’t change what has already happened, even though I wish I could. The reality is I can’t.

“The one thing I can control are my actions moving forward.’‘

The NSW State of Origin halfback went on to quote 19th century theologian Tryon Edwards when promising to learn from the drama.

Panthers Group boss Brian Fletcher conceded there had to be “meaningful consequences” when players fell short of upholding standards of behaviour.

“To that end Panthers supports the sanctions proposed by the NRL in relation to Nathan Cleary and Tyrone May,” Fletcher said.

“Both players have this morning expressed sincere remorse for their actions and confirmed to the club they will accept the proposed sanctions.”

The punishments finally end a two-week saga that began with photographs emerging of Cleary with friends at his house during the coronavirus lockdown.

The suspensions comes as a serious blow for Penrith, given Cleary had been in a rich vein of form as he helped Penrith to start the two-round season unbeaten. Coach Ivan Cleary, father of Nathan, will now likely be forced to turn to rookie half Matt Burton to partner Jarome Luai when the competition resumes on May 28.

— with AAP