Penrith coach Ivan Cleary stated early indicators are optimistic for son and halfback Nathan, after leaving the loss to Melbourne early with a concussion.
Cleary did not final eight minutes in Penrith‘s grand closing rematch with the Storm after a clumsy collision dominated him out for the match.
The Panthers halfback collided along with his rival No.7 Jahrome Hughes after Melbourne had made a break down the right-hand aspect.
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Ryan Papenhuyzen kicked forward earlier than Hughes and Cleary challenged for the ball. Nevertheless, Jack Cole managed to get to it first earlier than Cleary turned his again to Hughes and was upended awkwardly.
The influence of Cleary’s head on the turf resulted in a knock out.
Talking after the match, coach Ivan Cleary stated the halfback is not going to be out there for 11 days as a part of the NRL’s coverage on concussion however Friday will reveal extra about his situation.
Nathan Cleary leaves the sphere after a heavy collision. 9
“Yeah, he appears OK,” Ivan Cleary stated.
“He remembers the incident, in order that’s an excellent factor.
“So, yeah, hopefully he feels the identical means tomorrow.”
The replays led to booing on the sphere though nothing gave the impression to be sinister concerning the incident.
Halfway by way of the primary half, imaginative and prescient then confirmed Cleary within the sheds as his strapping was eliminated.
Cleary will miss the Panthers’ spherical 4 match in opposition to the Rabbitohs, with the NRL premiers seeking to keep away from an 1-3 begin to the season.
Regardless of being down their captain and skipper, the Panthers virtually got here again to shock the Storm after falling behind by 14 within the first half.
Brian To’o and Paul Alamoti had been standouts for Penrith, scoring two tries every. To’o additionally racked up a game-high 219 run metres.
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“Yeah I am happy with the boys tonight,” coach Cleary stated.
“There have been a lot of issues that we form of did not assist ourselves all through the sport.
“There’s clearly an absence of cohesion at occasions, which is comprehensible.
“However, I assumed from a cultural perspective, they had been very courageous, simply by no means stopped, significantly 14-nil down.”
Penrith face an enormous take a look at within the coming weeks with out Cleary and Dylan Edwards within the crew.
The defending champions have arguably by no means confronted such a tumultuous interval of their dynastic run however captain Isaah Yeo stated the indicators are optimistic.
“I felt like when Nathan went down, that form of may have gone both means,” he stated.
“It is a robust recreation down right here in opposition to a extremely high quality outfit and I assumed we definitely did not shirk it.”
Yeo added: “We’re simply excited concerning the problem.
“Successful is addictive and we’re definitely hooked on it and the success.
“So for the time being we have simply misplaced two on the trot and we perceive we should be higher, however I felt like we may take loads from tonight.
“We’re actually assured with how the season will go and we simply must get it again on observe.”
– with Sacha Mirzabegian
