- Penrith star Nathan Cleary injured in Melbourne clash
- Angry fans accused Storm players of pranks
- Cleary has aggravated a shoulder problem and will return for the NRL finals
Furious Panthers fans have accused Melbourne Storm players of trying to deliberately injure star scrum-half Nathan Cleary on Thursday night.
Craig Bellamy’s men won a thrilling 24-22 game in a result that should see them clinch top spot in the NRL’s minor leagues this year.
But it was Cleary who left the field late in the second half with a left shoulder problem that angered many fans on social media.
Many felt Melbourne resorted to dirty tactics in an attempt to contain the scrum-half, with some opining Cleary was injured due to a controversial “chicken wing” tackle.
Typically, chicken wing tackles lock down a football star’s arms so that they cannot move to play the ball at high speed.
“Oh my god, let’s hope it’s just muscle, but that tackle (on Cleary) was illegal… Melbourne can only win by cheating or making illegal tackles on key players,” one fan raged on the Penrith Panthers’ fan-only Facebook page.
Another posted: ‘Storm has brought back the chicken wing. I bet the match review committee doesn’t even report it.’
A third said: “That was a terrible arm attack on the run tackle, Storm were in the ruck too long throughout the game.”
Furious Panthers fans have accused Melbourne Storm players of trying to deliberately injure star scrum-half Nathan Cleary (pictured) on Thursday night.
Coach Ivan Cleary will be relieved his star scrum-half will return for the NRL finals after tests confirmed he will not be out for the season.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary was more concerned by the ease with which his side dropped points in what was a poor Premier League display.
“I guess I’m just disappointed with the tries they scored, every single one of them,” he said after the match.
‘A try after a scrum and two in the last plays in which I think we were not urgent enough.’
Cleary also called Tyran Wishart’s effort, where he beat Penrith’s Trent Toelau near the line to level the scores with 20 minutes remaining, “the worst leaked try I’ve seen in five years”.
Despite the fan furore, the NRL’s match review committee did not charge any Melbourne players following the tackle on Cleary.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Melbourne Storm for comment.
Meanwhile, scans have confirmed that Cleary has experienced a recurrence of the shoulder instability he suffered earlier this year.
Scans also indicated he has avoided immediate surgery and Cleary is expected to return for Penrith’s finals campaign in September as they chase four consecutive NRL championships.
