The Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary faces uncertainty over his availability for the preliminary final after suffering a foot injury during Sunday’s qualifying final victory. The team’s star player played through the issue, handing the final conversion to Dylan Edwards while visibly grimacing.
Cleary appeared to hurt his foot moments before icing a field goal late in the contest, with the halfback telling a Penrith trainer, “my foot is f*ed.”
After the match, he played down concerns, telling Fox League the decision to pass the kick was precautionary. “I just copped a little bump on the foot,” Cleary said. “It was a pretty important kick, so I just wanted Dyl (Edwards) to take it. I wasn’t sure how it would hold up goal kicking.
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It was just precautionary.”
Penrith has dealt with multiple injuries this season, including Isaah Yeo, who returned only recently after a pectoral issue suffered in Round 23. This latest setback occurs at a favorable time, however. The Panthers’ qualifying final win secured them a week’s break before the preliminary final, allowing medical staff additional time to assess Cleary’s recovery.
The club’s next challenge will be against the winner of the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights showdown, with the preliminary final determining their place in the 2026 NRL Grand Final. For now, Penrith awaits Monday’s scan results, with Cleary set to undergo medical imaging to determine the severity of the injury. His availability for the next game remains undecided until then.