Fired up Panthers fans sensationally accuse Melbourne Storm players of DELIBERATELY hurting Nathan Cleary

Irate Panthers fans have accused Melbourne Storm players of deliberately setting out to injure star halfback Nathan Cleary on Thursday night.

Craig Bellamy’s men won a gripping contest 24-22 in a result which should see them claim the NRL minor premiership this year.

But it was Cleary leaving the field late in the second half with a left shoulder complaint that fired up many supporters on social media.

Many felt Melbourne resorted to dirty tactics in a bid to contain the halfback, with some forming the view Cleary was injured due to a controversial ‘chicken wing’ tackle.

Typically, chicken wing type tackles see the arms of footy stars locked so they can’t move to play the ball at speed.

‘OMG let’s hope it’s just muscular, but that tackle [on Cleary] was illegal….Melbourne can only win by cheating or putting illegal tackles on key players,’ one fan fumed on the Penrith Panthers Fans only Facebook page.

Another posted: ‘Storm have bought back the chicken wing. I bet the match review committee doesn’t even report it though.’

A third weighed in with: ‘That was a terrible arm attack on the ground tackle, Storm were on the ruck too long all game.’

Coach Ivan Cleary will be relieved his star halfback will return for the NRL finals, after scans confirmed he won’t be out for the season

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary was more concerned about the ease in which his side leaked points in what was a poor display from the premiers.

‘I just think the tries they scored, I was disappointed with every one of them,’ he said post game.

‘A try off a scrum, and two on last plays where I just don’t think we were urgent enough.’

Cleary also labelled Tyran Wishart’s effort where he skipped past Penrith’s Trent Toelau close to the line to level the scores with 20 minutes to play the ‘worst leaked try I’ve seen in five years.’

Despite the fan furore, the NRL match review committee didn’t charge any Melbourne players following the tackle on Cleary.  

Daily Mail Australia reached out to Melbourne Storm for comment. 

Meanwhile, scans have confirmed Cleary experienced a recurrence of the shoulder instability he had earlier in the year.

The scans also indicated he has avoided immediate surgery, with Cleary tipped to return for Penrith’s finals campaign in September as they chase four successive NRL premierships.