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Is Cleary playing injured?: Panthers set to rest stars against Bulldogs
Sam Kosack • August 25th, 2025 7:50 pm
The Penrith Panthers are set to rest a number of key players against the Bulldogs with the club seemingly happy to challenge for a fifth-straight premiership from outside the top eight.
Nathan Cleary will reportedly headline a number of Penrith stars sitting out Thursday night’s Bulldogs clash, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
The Panthers currently sit in seventh, three points behind the New Zealand Warriors in fourth and are guaranteed a finals finish.
The decision to rest key players suggests the Panthers have given up hope on a top four finish and will instead seek to become the first team in history to win a premiership from outside the top four.
If the Panthers are successful in their hunt, it would be another piece of history for the club coming for their fifth-straight premiership.
The Panthers have played golden point matches in three of their last four clashes, including back-to-back defeats against the Storm and Raiders.
SEN’s Joel Caine believes that Cleary may be carrying a shoulder injury that has also contributed to a dip in defensive form.
Between Rounds 1 to 19, Nathan Cleary averaged one missed tackle per game
However, from Round 21 onwards Cleary has averaged 5.6 missed tackles, including five against the Wests Tigers, nine against the Titans, and seven in last week’s game against the Raiders.
“I'm gonna ask a big question here… I think he's injured,” Caine said on SEN 1170.
“I think he’s going to be a future immortal and Nathan Nathan Cleary has, in my opinion, fully fit, zero defensive issues.
“I think it's a shoulder injury or something.
“He's a big, strong body, he's a winner, he's a great defensive player.
“I am convinced this guy's injured because he's too good to be having these numbers.
“This is not a knock on Nathan Cleary. Conversely, it's pumping him up. I'm convinced this guy wants this premiership so badly, he is playing busted.”
If the Bulldogs win against the Panthers on Thursday, it will lock up a top four finish, but players are at this point expected to return against the Dragons in the final round.
