Nathan Cleary admits to feeling “embarrassed” by his rotten luck with injuries as the Penrith halfback savours the chance to finish his trophy-laden partnership with Jarome Luai with another NRL premiership.
Cleary played his first game in over a month on Friday, starring on his return from a shoulder injury as the Panthers dominated the Sydney Roosters in a 30-10 qualifying final win to book a place in a preliminary final in a fortnight’s time.
Over recent years, the 26-year-old’s regular-season campaigns have been severely impacted by injury before he has come back and helped lead the Panthers to three consecutive premierships.
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Before suffering a shoulder injury a month out from the finals series, Cleary missed the State of Origin series with a hamstring complaint.
But now the playmaker is desperate to make up for lost time and lead the Panthers to a fourth-straight NRL grand final win.
“It’s been a frustrating year. The times I have been injured I just feel bad that I’m not out there and going to battle alongside my brothers,” Cleary said.
“It’s almost embarrassing sometimes getting those injuries and having to take time out again.
“So, it’s been an up-and-down year, but I’d set sights on this game and just had to get over it.
“There was no point moping around, I had to be a positive influence on the team, even though I wasn’t playing and then in the background working hard to put my best foot forward.
“I’m really happy with how tonight went but, obviously, there’s more ahead of us, and I’ve got to keep working hard.”
Cleary’s side will not find out who they will meet in their preliminary final for another week and that last-four clash could potentially be the halfback’s last shot at silverware alongside Luai.
Five-eighth Luai will head to Wests Tigers at the end of this year, bringing an end to a halves combination that has delivered titles in three consecutive seasons for the Panthers.
“I just want to enjoy the time we have left together, we’ve obviously been playing together since we were 16 years old,” Cleary said.
“We understand each other’s game really well and just being back out there with him, it’s just fun.
“It feels like we’re kids again, but on the biggest stage it’s the stuff that we have talked about as kids and we’ve dreamt for this to happen.
“But I think it’d be silly of us to think too much about the end of it.
“We just have to enjoy the moment and obviously it’s going to be a sad time when it does come to an end — but that’s not yet.”
In a further encouraging sign for the Panthers, halfback Nathan Cleary barely got out of second gear on Friday night on his return from a shoulder injury.
Penrith’s No.7 was given an early mark, taken off with four minutes to go as the Panthers earned the right to enjoy a week off before their preliminary final at Accor Stadium.
Cleary was all over the Roosters up until the moment he left the field, toying with their defence as he chased his own kick and kicked it again off the ground to set up another chance.
“Cleary channels Mary Fowler,” the NRL wrote.