Cleary in line for first round
PREMIERSHIP- P- winning halfback Nathathan Cleary is poised ed to make a shock k appearance for r Penrith in round d 1, weeks ahead of f the original scheddule.
While no one ne at Penrith is willing to risk rushing Cleary back from shoulder surgery, confidence is growing that the Panthers co-captain will face Manly in their season-opener in a mouth-watering one-on-one showdown with Daly Cherry-Evans, his Origin opponent.
Cleary was one of a plethora of players the club nursed through last year’s breakthrough title.
“Everyone is doing contract training, even Nathan is at that point in his rehab,” Panthers high-performance manager Shane Elford said. “(The plan is) to get him right round 1.
“He’s started contact, it’s modified but we are building.”