In a significant development for the Penrith Panthers’ NRL campaign, star halfback Nathan Cleary has successfully avoided a three-match suspension following a compelling defense presented by his father and coach, Ivan Cleary, at the NRL judiciary on Monday night. The hearing resulted in Cleary’s grade two charge for a high tackle on Wests Tigers rookie Heamasi Makasini being downgraded, reducing his penalty to an $1800 fine instead of a lengthy sideline absence.
The judiciary panel, consisting of Greg McCallum and Ryan James, was convinced by Ivan Cleary’s arguments in one of the shortest hearings on record. This legal victory arrives alongside news that the Panthers will be without key forward Liam Henry during the opening rounds due to a knee injury sustained approximately six weeks ago, though the prop has resumed training and isn’t expected to be sidelined extensively.
Panthers legend Greg Alexander emphasized the importance of the outcome, noting on SEN radio: “For a club that started the season so poorly last year, they didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot this year. Three games without Nathan would have put a lot of pressure on the team.”
The decision ensures Cleary’s availability for the highly anticipated round one clash against premiers Brisbane Broncos next week. The Panthers are determined to avoid repeating last year’s sluggish start that saw them occupying last place on the ladder after 12 rounds, despite their remarkable recovery that nearly saw them defeat the Broncos in the preliminary final.
Following the hearing, Nathan Cleary expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming challenge: “You want to be playing in the big games, and it’s no bigger than round one up in Brisbane. We do have a pretty tough draw to start the year so I wanted to be a part of that. Given last year’s start, you want to correct that as well.”
The successful defense also marked a personal redemption for coach Ivan Cleary, who had previously experienced unsuccessful judiciary cases, including his 2021 representation of Api Koroisau. Nathan acknowledged his father’s efforts, stating: “I’m grateful for his effort. I had no say in the matter but he was pretty confident. There were mixed thoughts because the last few times he’s been to the judiciary, it hasn’t worked out too well. But I trust him and we thought that we had a pretty good case.”
With Ivan Cleary’s birthday approaching on Sunday, Nathan now faces the additional challenge of finding an appropriate thank-you gift for his coach, despite being $1800 poorer following the judiciary decision.