Panthers searching for that winning feeling as Cleary returns

Penrith are searching for that winning feeling with Nathan Cleary returning from a head knock against North Queensland on Friday.

Superstar halfback Nathan will make his return for the Panthers in their crunch game against the Cowboys on Friday night, but he won’t have time to rush across town to watch his partner Mary Fowler in action for the Matildas.

Cleary’s Panthers kick off at 6pm at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, with the Matildas game starting two hours later at Allianz Stadium at Moore Park.

Given his game won’t finish until around 7.50 – and you can add another 10 minutes if it goes to golden point – Cleary won’t be able to get there in time to watch her play.

Though he plans on being there for the Matildas’ second friendly against Korea in Newcastle on Monday night.

“It’s just too close in between. But I’ll try and get up to Newcastle on Monday night for the game,” he said, happy to spend a few days together given she plays for Manchester City.

“It is (nice to see her). It feels like a little refresh whenever I get to see her and I’m definitely grateful for it.”

Nathan Cleary. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.

Mary Fowler in Sydney this week. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.

The champion halfback is just glad to be back on the paddock after he was ruled out a few minutes into the grand final rematch against Melbourne following a nasty collision which kept him out of last week’s loss to Souths.

“I’m feeling really good,” he said.

“With the head knock, straight after the game it was a bit sore, but the day after there were no symptoms. Then you get to last week with the game against the Rabbitohs and you think you can play, but there are protocols in place for a reason.”

Cleary watched out from the coaches box last week as his side fell behind 28-0 at half-time, with the four-time premiers now on a three-game losing streak and enduring their worst start to a season since 2016.

Dylan Edwards and Nathan Cleary in the coach’s box last week. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

“It’s pretty tense (in there),” he said.

“They aren’t ideal situations, but the important thing is the way that we finished both of those games where we threw punches right until the end. I think that’s really important and a show of our culture.

“It’s certainly not the performance we want and it’s not up to scratch, but we’re not rolling over and giving up which is good.”

The Panthers have been able to fight back in the second half of both of their recent losses, but Cleary concedes his side’s defence is a long way off where it needs to be.

The premiers have built their dynasty on frustrating their opponents, but this year’s squad have already conceded 118 points after four games, compared to the 114 they allowed in the opening 13 rounds of the 2021 season

Nathan Cleary will make his return against the Cowboys on Friday night. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“It’s definitely not where it wants to be. I wouldn’t say it’s the defensive system that’s not where it wants to be. It’s sort of more just coming up with the right play at the right time,” he said.

“We’re just missing that at the moment and maybe a bit of lack of confidence, but it’s easier to turn that around. I just have full faith in our team and the players in it that we’ll be able to.

“I just have full belief in our team that if we play the footy that we want to, we’re going to compete with the best teams on any day. So it’s about us getting the best out of ourselves at the moment and trying to not be so tense and wound up (about thinking we need a win).”

People are already starting to say the dynasty is over, but Cleary isn’t panicking yet given they lost two of their first three games in 2023 and claimed the minor premiership and the title.

“I think it’s easy to think over this period where we’ve had success, it’s just been smooth sailing. People think it’s been perfect. It really hasn’t. It’s been lots of ups and downs through the seasons and even through games,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s really like panic stations or anything like that. I think there’s sort of that anxiety and that tenseness there because everyone cares so much and that’s an important thing.

“If it was the other way around and people were blasé about it and not showing care, I think that’s a much harder thing to turn around than sort of the technical stuff.”