- Nathan Cleary will not play for NSW in 2024 Origin series
- It was hoped that the running back could return for the third game.
- Panthers superstar sidelined with hamstring injury
Penrith will retain Nathan Cleary until after State of Origin III, with the three defending NRL premiers eyeing a return in Round 20 against the Dolphins.
Cleary is now six-and-a-half weeks removed from his second hamstring tear of the season, which was initially expected to rule him out for eight weeks.
The superstar number 7 is back running, but he is still far from training with the main group and has yet to reach peak performance in his rehabilitation.
Penrith have North Queensland on Sunday before facing Brisbane in Round 18, but will have a timely bye in Round 19 before the clash with the Dolphins.
And coach Ivan Cleary confirmed his son would not return before that break, with the most likely return date at the BlueBet Stadium being July 21.
The return date also means the first-choice NSW No.7 has no chance of appearing in Origin III at Suncorp on July 17, ruling him out of the entire series.
“We’re hopeful that (he’ll be back) after our next break,” Cleary said.
‘That was a rather vague objective, it has not been confirmed.
Penrith will keep Nathan Cleary out until after State of Origin III, with the three-time defending NRL champions eyeing a return in Round 20 against the Dolphins for the scrum-half.
Cleary (pictured, with girlfriend Mary Fowler) is now six and a half weeks since his second hamstring tear of the season.
“He’s steadily going through his rehab, doing well… he’s running, but he’s pretty far from reaching top speed and doing everything with the team.”
Penrith have delved deeper into the 26-year-old’s hamstring issues after he also missed six games last year with a torn right hamstring.
Two-time medalist Clive Churchill felt problems with his left hamstring in the third round of this season, ruling him out for four weeks.
He was then rested for another game immediately afterward via a brief substitution, before going down again with another left hamstring injury in early May.
“The last thing we want is another injury,” the Panthers coach said.
‘We’ve probably done more, this time looking for things we can find.
“I’m very comfortable with the approach we’ve taken and I’m very confident that it will be fine.”
The NSW Blues take on the Queensland Maroons in game two at the MCG on Wednesday night starting at 8:05pm AEDT.
