Updated ,first published
Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary is sweating on injury scans just hours after dodging a potential finals ban.
Cleary hurt his right foot before he kicked what proved the match-winning field goal against the Roosters at CommBank Stadium on Sunday, and will undergo scans on the injury on Monday afternoon.
As well as gesturing displeasure over the condition of his foot to Panthers medical staff, Cleary also opted against taking the final kick at goal of the match.
Earlier on Monday, Penrith’s champion No.7 was hit with a grade-one dangerous contact charge for his tackle on Sydney Roosters’ playmaker Hugo Savala, but can escape with a fine and play in Penrith’s preliminary final next weekend.
The match review committee on Monday charged Cleary for his contentious tackle on Savala just before half-time during Sunday’s 19-12 win over the Roosters.
The penalty is $1000 should Cleary plead guilty.
Referee Gerard Sutton binned Cleary and told him: “There’s force in it, it’s very dangerous, and there’s a high risk of injury.”
Former Manly prop Josh Aloiai was hit with a grade-two dangerous contact charge for a tackle on Shaun Johnson in 2024, as was South Sydney’s Jacob Host.
Coach Ivan Cleary said after the win: “He’s just trying to make a play, he’s thinking the right thing there, but the angle was wrong, and under the current rules, it is what it is.
“The same thing happened to him down near the goal posts earlier in the game.
“You could tell he was definitely disappointed. Like I said, he was thinking the right thing in terms of trying to make a play at that point – he did the same thing to ‘Burto’ [Matt Burton] last year, Burto is a left-footer, so it was a better angle [to tackle him]. [But] Hugo wasn’t injured.”
In other Panthers news, Jack Cogger is returning from suspension and is a halves option for the Panthers, who will host the winner of the Warriors and Knights at Accor Stadium.
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