Penrith coach Ivan Cleary mentioned early indicators are constructive 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 remaining rematch with the Storm after an ungainly collision dominated him out for the match.
The Panthers halfback collided together 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. Nonetheless, 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 mentioned the halfback is not going to be obtainable 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 sector after a heavy collision. 9
“Yeah, he appears OK,” Ivan Cleary mentioned.
“He remembers the incident, in order that’s a great factor.
“So, yeah, hopefully he feels the identical means tomorrow.”
The replays led to booing on the sector though nothing seemed to be sinister concerning the incident.
Halfway by means 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 trying 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 mentioned.
“There have been a number of issues that we type of did not assist ourselves all through the sport.
“There’s clearly an absence of cohesion at instances, which is comprehensible.
“However, I assumed from a cultural viewpoint, they had been very courageous, simply by no means stopped, notably 14-nil down.”
Penrith face an enormous check within the coming weeks with out Cleary and Dylan Edwards within the staff.
The defending champions have arguably by no means confronted such a tumultuous interval of their dynastic run however captain Isaah Yeo mentioned the indicators are constructive.
“I felt like when Nathan went down, that type of might have gone both means,” he mentioned.
“It is a robust sport down right here in opposition to a extremely high quality outfit and I assumed we actually did not shirk it.”
Yeo added: “We’re simply excited concerning the problem.
“Profitable is addictive and we’re actually hooked on it and the success.
“So in the mean time we have simply misplaced two on the trot and we perceive we have to be higher, however I felt like we might take so much from tonight.
“We’re actually assured with how the season will go and we simply must get it again on monitor.”
– with Sacha Mirzabegian
