Penrith Panthers fans will be hoping the power of love works its magic on injured skipper Nathan Cleary after his partner and Matildas star Mary Fowler rushed to his aid this week.
The representative halfback is a key cog in the Panthers’ bid to win their fourth consecutive NRL premiership but aggravated an existing shoulder injury in the club’s 24-22 loss to the Melbourne Storm on Thursday night.
Panthers fans had their hearts in their mouths as he clutched at the joint and was assisted from the field just weeks away from the NRL finals.
On Friday, Cleary was spotted leaving Panthers HQ side-by-side with Fowler who appeared to be carrying the x-rays that would decide his fate.
Cleary has suffered a fresh injury setback but was all smiles when the lady in his life Mary Fowler arrived to Panthers HQ
The couple left the Panthers’ club holding what looked like his scan results that would determine the extent of his shoulder injury
Fortunately for Cleary, Fowler is in Australia for a pre-season tournament with her Women’s Premier League side Manchester City
Panthers officials said the scans had revealed good news and that his son would not need to go under the knife, clearing the way for him to return for the NRL finals and another premiership push.
‘Scans today confirmed that Nathan experienced a recurrence of the shoulder instability he had earlier in the year,’ the club said.
”The scans indicate that he has avoided immediate surgery. The positive outcome is that the club plans to have Nathan available for the NRL finals.’
In the meantime Cleary will have Fowler by his side as looks to speed through the recovery and rehabilitation stages to be ready for the finals in mid September- just four weeks away.
Fowler is back in Australia after the Matildas were bundled out of the Paris Olympics in the group stage, despite a gutsy showing against the United States in their final match.
Cleary and Fowler became the glamour couple of Australian sport earlier this year
Despite living on opposite sides of the world, Cleary and Fowler find a way to make their relationship work
Fowler returned to Australia after the Matildas were bundled out early at the Paris Olympics
The Women’s Super League commences on September 22, but fortunately for Fowler her Manchester City teammates are also in Australia for a pre-season tournament in Perth with West Ham United, Leicester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
While the Panthers are hoping that some hard work and a bit of Mary Fowler’s magic touch can restore their star halfback to a full bill of health, a former NRL champion who has played with busted shoulders is not so sure.
Johnathan Thurston famously steered the North Queensland Cowboys to their maiden NRL premiership in 2015, but was unable to achieve that feat in 2007 when they were bundled out in the preliminary final by Manly.
At the end of that season, Thurston’s shoulders were so wrecked he said he was unable to lift his arms any higher than his chest.
Thurston fears Cleary could be coming back too soon, after the Cowboys superstar went through shoulder problems of his own during his playing career
And the newly inducted NRL Hall of Famer said if Cleary returned even slightly underdone, it could cost the Panthers dearly.
‘Shoulders are difficult to play with when they’re busted … you can’t be playing with a busted shoulder in that position,’ he said.
‘You get targeted. Every side will be sending their back rowers, their forwards at him to test it.
‘That’s just the nature of the beast when you’re playing, [and he’s] the best player in the comp.
‘When you are carrying that slight injury, if you’re back for the prelim or one of those finals games, they will be coming after him.’
Five-eighth Jarome Luai is ready to become the main man if Cleary cannot overcome his latest injury setback or is injured again during the finals
If Cleary is not able to come back for the finals – or re-injures the shoulder trying – much of the Panthers’ fortunes will fall on five-eighth Jarome Luai.
The New South Wales half is enjoying one of his best seasons to date and is a big reason Penrith is pushing for another premiership after Cleary suffered a serious hamstring injury that sidelined him for almost three months.
‘I’m definitely disappointed for him,’ Luai told Triple M.
‘He’s spent his fair share on the sidelines this year and that’s footy sometimes.
‘You’ve just got to roll with the punches and go with the roller coaster.
‘He’s got some good support around him, so we’ll get around the bro and give him our prayers.
‘I’m a confident dude.
‘I think I was a bit frantic (against the Storm) just trying to chase the points.
‘At those times, under pressure, you need a bit of that ice that Nath has and just be that cool, calm and collected voice and stick to our structures.
‘But I’m a competitor at the end of the day so I’m not going to go down dying.’
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