Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary has been forced to undergo scans in hospital after suffering an injury at training ahead of Friday night’s NRL preliminary final against Melbourne.
With Jarome Luai battling to overcome a shoulder injury and Izack Tago struggling to work his way back from a pectoral problem, another scare was the last thing Penrith needed.
But on Monday their star halfback Cleary suffered a finger injury during a light training session.
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He was quickly whisked away to hospital for scans.
The Clive Churchill medallist was said to be cleared of serious damage, though it appears he will play on through some discomfort against the Storm.
Tuesday is a day off for the Panthers and it now remains to be seen how involved Cleary will be in Wednesday’s crucial full-contact opposed session.
Luai trained with his teammates on Sunday morning, getting through a ballwork session with light contact.
The signs are good for the 26-year-old, who has not played since dislocating his left shoulder against Parramatta four weeks ago.
AAP has been told Luai was able to get through a similar opposed session last Wednesday, and is considered likely to play in the preliminary final.
“He looked good out there,” fullback Dylan Edwards said.
“I think he still has a couple of boxes to tick, but he is working hard and looking good.
“He’s got a few more days of training to go and he’ll keep working on it.”
Luai’s inclusion would be significant for Penrith.
While Jack Cogger has impressed at five-eighth in Penrith’s last two matches, Luai and halfback Nathan Cleary have won 83 of 94 games starting together at all levels since under-20s at Penrith.
If Tago does not recover in time, Luke Garner will likely be the man to fill in at right centre after the regular second-rower moved one spot wider against the Warriors.
“Everyone trained and everyone is looking fit and healthy,” Garner said.
“It would be the same thing again this week (if I am asked to play centre). Train hard with them and work on what we need to work on.
“I felt comfortable out in the centres, I have probably played 10 or 15 games there in my career so it wasn’t something foreign to me.
“It made it pretty easy when I was defending next to Bizza (Brian To’o) and Nat (Nathan Cleary).”
A wooden-spooner last year at Wests Tigers, Garner and fellow recruit Tyrone Peachey could complete the rare feat of going from last-placed to premiers in the space of 12 months with two wins in the next fortnight.
“I am probably in the complete opposite situation to what I was a year ago,” Garner said.
“But it’s good, it feels right. It feels like the season should still be going.
“It hasn’t hit me yet. We’re still not there yet. We have a big game this week, we haven’t spoken about the big one yet.”
– with AAP
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