Steaks, eggs, sea moss and bone broth: The diet driving Cleary’s Vegas quest

A diet consisting of steaks, eggs, sea moss and bone broth has Nathan Cleary ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery.

Cleary resumed training with four-time premiers Penrith on Thursday, and surprised himself when he was able to complete a series of passing drills.

Arguably the game’s best player underwent the Latarjet procedure to stabilise his shoulder socket, which meant he had to miss the Pacific Championships with the Kangaroos but also gave him the best chance to be fit for the club’s season-opener in Las Vegas.

Cleary adopted a carnivore diet when he injured his hamstring last year, which he said helped cleanse the body and shed excess fat. He opted for the meat and protein-heavy diet the past fortnight to help get his body and mind ready for training.

“I’ve followed the strict carnivore diet twice now, and both over a ten-day period before I resumed training,” said Cleary, as he joined some of his Panthers teammates delivered Christmas presents to patients at Nepean Hospital.

“I use the diet as a cleanse, while it also strips fat. I was intermittent fasting in the morning, but eating two steaks for lunch, then steak and eggs for dinner, a [teaspoon] of sea moss, and bone broth before bed.

Penrith Panthers players visiting Napean Hospital this week.Credit: Penrith Panthers

“I’ve taken the bone broth the past three or four years. I’ll have it with hot water at night, it is not as bad as you think – it has like a chicken flavour – and I find it really helps with my joints.

“When I did my hammy, I took a step back and looked at everything that might help my body stay injury-free. I also enjoyed how the carnivore diet made me feel. I stopped this week, and started adding fruit and sweet potato back into my diet. It helps with the gut and gives you mental clarity.”

Cleary was glad his latest surgery was a success, with contact and wrestling to be re-introduced to his training regime before he boards the plane to the US in February.

“The contact will be the last box to tick, and while there are no ‘gimmes’ in rugby league, I have my sights on Vegas – I can’t see why I wouldn’t be there at this stage,” he said.

Nathan Cleary resumed pre-season training on Thursday.Credit: Penrith Panthers

The big question will be who partners Cleary in the halves following Jarome Luai’s big-money departure for the Wests Tigers.

Jack Cole, Brad Schneider, Daine Laurie and new recruit Blaize Talagi, who also underwent the Latarjet procedure, will all be given their shot.

“They’re all great players, and it will not be hard developing a combination with all of them,” Cleary said.

The halfback and co-captain, who will be joined at Christmas by partner Mary Fowler, welcomed this week’s news Papua New Guinea would have a team enter the NRL competition in 2028. Cleary is off contract at the end of 2027, but the Panthers have no plans to ever let him go to market.

Cleary did welcome the local government’s decision to offer tax concessions, and it was needed if the NRL newcomers were any chance to lure a marquee player.

“I think there has to be some sort of incentive to draw big players, and that’s a good way of doing it; it would be hard for players with young families, but it’s good there is some sort of incentive,” Cleary said.

Paps feels love from Melbourne

Roy Ward

Ryan Papenhuyzen feels the love from Melbourne and, after making peace with a lesser offer, is now locked in on the chase for more NRL premierships.

The 2020 premiership and Clive Churchill Medallist confirmed a contract extension for 2026 and a mutual option for 2027 on Thursday just a day after returning to preseason training.

As he spoke to the media on the busy Morell pedestrian bridge behind AAMI Park, his popularity was on show with a random cyclist letting out a “Go Paps” as he rode past the media pack.

After months of speculation and rejecting a three-year deal, it was the realisation that the Storm were in a premiership window that made Papenhuyzen turn down more lucrative deals from other clubs.

“It’s the first time I’ve been off contract and haven’t had to deal with that sort of thing before so it was nice to know you were wanted,” Papenhuyzen said.

“But at the same time, I do value this club a lot. It’s given me the opportunity to play NRL. It’s taught me so much. It’s been with me through my injuries, so I feel like it’s just a place where I want to give back and I still feel like I’ve got a lot to give.

Ryan Papenhuyzen has signed an extension with Melbourne.Credit: Sam Hayes

“You sit back, weigh it all up and it’s an easy decision, but it was definitely nice to feel wanted.”

Papenhuyzen admitted he was offended when the Storm first offered him a contract below his current deal, one struck before his injuries kept him to just 30 games in three years before he bounced back with 20 games in 2024 returning 13 tries and 11 try assists.

“There’s an aspect of backing yourself but I’m not backing myself to get more money. I’m sort of backing myself to be a valuable member of the squad,” Papenhuyzen said.

“I think that’s something that I’ve really thought about. Initially, when the first offer came through, I was a little bit disheartened and sort of thought, it’s a hit to the ego taking a pay cut.

Ryan Papenhuyzen will remain with Melbourne until the end of the 2026 season at least.Credit: Getty Images

“But I think after sitting on it for a while, it was more than the money. It’s a growth decision.

“It’s been an environment where you’ve built this thing together and you just want to see it out and see some good things happen from it.”

With young speedster Sua Fa’alogo nipping at his heels as starting fullback, Papenhuyzen still might leave in 2027 or beyond.

But after a horrific few years of injuries, he feels he can regain even more speed and agility after having the plates and screws from leg surgically removed following the Storm’s grand final loss to Penrith.

Rival: Promising Melbourne Storm fullback Sua Fa’alogo is contracted through to the end of 2028.Credit: NRL Photos

“Theoretically, in my mind, that makes sense that I’ll get my agility and everything back,” Papenhuyzen said.

“But you’ve still got to put in that work and I’ve got a really clear plan with that this year.”

One final thing that kept Papenhuyzen in purple was that in Melbourne, almost everyone supports the Storm, even random cyclists.

“You go up to Sydney and there’s so many teams up there, you don’t know if someone might spray you on the bike going past,” Papenhuyzen said with a laugh.

“Whereas here you feel the love from everyone and it’s a really nice feeling.

“I feel settled here. Those fan encounters and going past there, it’s not the first time it happens. Hopefully, that can stay the same way. I do to get a massive kick out of it.”

Munster reveals Bellamy spoke to Maroons stars before taking Blues role

Roy Ward

Melbourne Storm star Cam Munster – on the path back to full fitness after hip surgery – said coach Craig Bellamy called his Queensland contingent before taking on an advisory role with the NSW Blues.

Munster is back on his feet during his rehabilitation after needing surgery on both his hips following the NRL grand final loss to Penrith.“I feel really young, surprisingly,” Munster said on Friday.

Storm star Cameron Munster.Credit: Getty Images

“I’m pretty frustrated. I’ve been inside for a while and I want to be able to get back out there and run, but I’m optimistic. I won’t be able to run until February. I’m doing everything I can to fast track it but [the fitness staff] are not going to push as hard as I want to go.”

The Storm five-eighth is pain-free and back at AAMI Park to continue rebuilding strength in his glutes, groins and hips.

“I will be ready to go by round one – which is me pencilling myself in,” Munster said.“I’ll be hopefully running and doing full contact by February, hopefully even get a trial game in but we’ll see where we are at.”

Munster revealed that Bellamy called his Queensland stars before returning to the origin arena as a coaching advisor to new Blues coach Laurie Daley.“He rang me to see if it was alright, so I’m pretty much his dad now,” Munster said with a laugh.

“It’s an awesome opportunity for him. It’s probably a bit frustrating for some players in our team because we’re going to go up against him. Hopefully, we get the wood over him as I’d love to do that.”

Munster has also set his sights on regaining the Queensland five-eighth role from Tom Dearden.

“[Storm captain] Harry Grant has his name pencilled in [at hooker] but I’ve still got to get picked,” Munster said.

“Great competition brings the best out of you and now I’ve got Tommy breathing down my neck, it’s great for Queensland.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy is a master of his craft.Credit: Getty Images

Munster has never had an injury recovery as long or challenging as this one but as he painstakingly rebuilds his strength and fitness in the next two months, he will be driven by the feeling his time left in the game is short.

“I just know that I’ve only got a certain amount of years left to play footy, so I want to get the best out of it,” Munster said.

“I wish I had that mindset five years ago. We’ve had some good finals runs but haven’t had that cherry on top since 2020 so that’s something that’s a driving factor – we all want to win but how hard are you willing to work? I’m going to put myself in some uncomfortable positions and try to go that bit harder and get a lot better.”

NRL tells clubs kick-off collisions here to stay despite concussion fears

Michael Chammas

The NRL has informed clubs the kick-off is here to stay despite debate over its place in the game following a string of concussions in 2024.

At a six-hour club chief executives meeting at NRL headquarters on Wednesday, the code’s head of football Graham Annesley told respective club bosses that there would be no changes to the kick-off rule heading into next season.

The NRL insists it has given no thought to altering the rules to minimise collision by banning or modifying the kick-off rules to reduce heavy-impact challenges.

Concerns over the safety of players, prompted by knock-out blows suffered by Roosters’ prop Lindsay Collins and Dragons centre Moses Suli, have been a topic of conversation over the past year.

The NRL, however, has no desire to alter what is regarded as one of the sport’s most brutal confrontations when the attacking player charges up to 30 metres to meet a wall of defenders pelting towards him.

The NRL’s position was welcomed by the clubs who were concerned the NRL might be tempted into tinkering with the fabric of the game due to the public backlash following the injuries to Collins and Suli.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s tackle on Lindsay Collins which forced the Rooster from the field on the first play.Credit: Nine

Collins was knocked out on the opening hit-up of the preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm and would have missed the grand final had the Roosters made it that far.

The player who inflicted the damage, Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona, was banned for five matches as a result.

Suli was knocked out trying to tackle Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in the first play of a game on Anzac Day, which later prompted coach Shane Flanagan to admit: “Short kick-offs take out big collisions, but they bring in other issues like people jumping and landing on their heads.”

The NRL made an adjustment to the rules last year, refraining from penalising teams who botched short kick-off and drop-out attempts. Instead of penalising the infringing team, the opposition was awarded a handover.

The NRL said it was designed to encourage teams to compete for the ball and add to the spectacle of the contest, rather than a ploy to minimise heavy contact opportunities in the game.