Nathan Cleary will undergo the same surgery that forced him to miss the opening month of the 2022 season – but Penrith medical staff are expecting the star playmaker to make a much quicker recovery this time and be ready for the season-opener in Las Vegas.
The Panthers gave Cleary their blessing to enjoy some downtime in Europe with his girlfriend, Matildas star Mary Fowler, and had to wait a few weeks to go under the knife because his surgeon was on annual leave.
The superstar No.7 will undergo the Latarjet procedure on November 4 to fix the left shoulder that troubled him during the NRL finals series. The operation involves a bone graft being attached to the front of the shoulder joint to help with stability.
Cleary had the same surgery at the end of 2021, but did not return until round four in 2022. On that occasion, however, Cleary had also suffered cartilage damage, which required more time to heal, and needed time for a rotator-cuff tendon to mend.
Sources with knowledge of Cleary’s latest injury not authorised to speak publicly confirmed Cleary was facing 14 to 15 weeks on the sidelines. It will be 16 weeks from the day of surgery until Penrith’s March 1 clash against Cronulla at Allegiant Stadium in the US.
With Jarome Luai departing for Wests Tigers, Cleary will be able to return to the field as early as six weeks post-surgery to complete passing and running drills with potential halves partners Brad Schneider, Jack Cole or even new signing Blaize Talagi. The halfback will not be able to wrestle or tackle until the middle of February.
Coach Ivan Cleary was unsure if his son would be available for Las Vegas, but his likely return is a huge boost for not only the Panthers, but the fans who make the trek to America.
Cleary was forced to miss the Kangaroos’ Pacific Championships campaign for a second straight year because of surgery. He took the opportunity to spend a few weeks with Fowler, and this week posted a photo of himself on social media taking a dip in a lake in Switzerland.
Panthers back-rower Liam Martin also pulled out of the Australian side because of an AC joint problem, but it does not require surgery.
The only other Panther who went under the knife in recent weeks was young prop Liam Henry to repair a shoulder problem.
Meanwhile, Penrith co-captain and new Kangaroos skipper Isaah Yeo stressed the need to hold on to the ball if the rain persisted in Christchurch for Sunday’s clash against New Zealand. The Kiwis thumped Australia 30-0 the last time they played in November.
The Pacific Championships is Live and free on Channel 9 & 9Now.