Nathan Cleary’s season hangs on the advice of shoulder specialists

Penrith officials are hoping they can nurse Nathan Cleary through the season as the Panthers and NSW playmaker prepares to meet specialists over his shoulder injury.

Blues halfback Nathan Cleary during Origin II at Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

Penrith are expected to seek advice from multiple specialists this week amid fears that Nathan Cleary’s season may be over due the shoulder problem he suffered in the second State of Origin game.

Cleary had scans taken on Monday and chief executive Brian Fletcher confirmed he would visit specialists in coming days to determine the next course of action.

He is expected to be ruled out of the third and final Origin game but the greater fear is that the injury could bring a premature end his season.

Cleary injured his shoulder in the opening half of Origin II but finished the game with the ailment heavily strapped.

NSW officials put on a brave face immediately after the game but it is understood there were private concerns that the damage was serious, hence the need for him to undergo scans on Monday.

His expected absence from Origin III means that Parramatta No.7 Mitchell Moses is facing what could be the most important game of his career on Friday night as he attempts to put forward a case for Blues selection.

The alternative would be to pair Jarome Luai and Jack Wighton in the halves, although that would require tinkering with the interchange bench and mean playing two left-foot kickers alongside each other in the halves.

Moses would be the more seamless transition. The longer-term concern is for the Panthers as they confront the possibility that their best player and co-captain could be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

“Hopefully it is no too bad and we can nurse him through it,” Fletcher said.

“He is going to see a couple of doctors who deal with that part of the body and see what the best result is. We just have to wait and see, fingers crossed.”

The best result for the Panthers would be that Cleary sits out a few weeks and is then able to carry the problem through the remainder of the year.

If Cleary is ruled out for the year, the Panthers would be entitled to salary dispensation because he was injured in a representative game. However, they already have depth in the halves to mitigate his absence.

Matt Burton has been playing in the centres but he and Jarome Luai played alongside each other earlier this year when Penrith beat Melbourne.

Regardless of who plays in the halves for the Panthers, replacing Cleary borders on the impossible. The No.7 has been the best player in the game this year – he is a runaway leader in the Dally M Medal race and has been among NSW’s best over the opening two games.

Moses shapes as a genuine option and on Tuesday he insisted he was ready.

“If I wasn’t more than ready by now I’d be kicking myself,” Moses said.

“It‘s completely up to Freddy (Fittler) and what direction he wants to go. We‘ve got a big test this week against Penrith and that’s my full focus.

“If you look too far ahead on those types of things it can affect your footy.”

Moses and Fittler have worked together before.

“He coached me in that World Cup side when I was playing for Lebanon,” Moses said.

“I got along with him really well and loved playing underneath him. He was massive for my game back then.

“He‘s a good operator and what he’s done with the Blues this year, the footy they‘re playing is unbelievable, they’re all on the same page. It’s a credit to him.

“They‘re just playing with a lot of energy and everyone knows their role, that’s the biggest thing. Everyone is in sync, it looked like a team that’s been training all year.”