Absent since the club’s Round 24 loss to the Storm, Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary has provided an update on his return timeline from injury.
The star halfback, who missed the entire State of Origin series this year with a hamstring injury, had also been managing a shoulder problem over the first part of the campaign.
Re-entering the team after missing a big chunk of matches, he would go on to injure his shoulder in Round 24, which sparked fears that he could be ruled out for the remainder of the season.
At the time, NRL Physio believed the injury could be an ‘instability’ issue, with a recovery ranging from two weeks to six months, depending on the nature of the injury.
However, Cleary remains confident that he will return in the next few weeks as the Panthers push for a long finals run.
“It’s about a seven at the moment,” Cleary said on Channel 9 on Friday.
“It’ll be a ten in a few weeks.”
As Cleary counts down his return from injury, the Cronulla Sharks, Melbourne Storm, and Sydney Roosters have emerged as the biggest threats to Penrith’s premiership chances,as they look to win four in a row.
After recently losing to the Storm, the reigning Clive Churchill medallist believes they are one who could topple Penrith in the 2024 NRL finals, praising opposing five-eighth Cameron Munster.
“I think the Storm. Their spine is elite,” he added.
“When he’s [Cameron Munster] running the ball, they’re very dangerous. He gives that x-factor not many teams have.”
Defeating the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday night, the Panthers will take on the Gold Coast Titans in their final regular season match next week.
While a victory is almost certain, they will be eager to hold onto the second spot on the NRL ladder, which will guarantee them a home final in Week One.
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