Source : ABC NEWS
Penrith superstar Nathan Cleary is set to miss the opening two rounds of the NRL season in a major blow for the Panthers.
Cleary was sin-binned in the Panthers’ 26-12 trial loss to Wests Tigers yesterday after collecting teenage winger Heamasi Makasini flush on the jaw.
Today, the NRL’s match review committee hit the halfback with a grade two dangerous contact charge.
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Cleary would miss just two games if he takes the early guilty plea, meaning he would sit out Penrith’s season opener against Brisbane and their round two meeting with Cronulla.
In the unlikely event he challenges the decision and then loses, Cleary would face an additional one-game suspension. Jack Cogger, Cleary’s likeliest replacement, missed Friday’s trial with a niggle.
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Makasini was in the heart of the action for the Tigers and backed up his hat-trick of tries in Newcastle last week with a breathtaking first-half score.
There were shades of Jonah Lomu about Makasini who ran 40m, bumped off two Panthers defenders and then bulldozed over the top of Dylan Edwards to send the Wayne Pearce Hill into a frenzy.
Makasini appears a lock to start the season on the wing for the Tigers despite his tender age.
The teenager enjoyed a good battle with Brian To’o, who grabbed the first try of the night when he rushed on to a Cleary cutout ball.
Tigers fullback Jahream Bula and Panthers winger Paul Alamoti traded tries before Makasini’s thundering charge cut Penrith’s half-time lead to 12-10.
Cleary was sin-binned just before the break and did not return when his 10-minute spell had elapsed.
Both Penrith coach Ivan Cleary and Tigers counterpart Benji Marshall brought their top-line talent off after half-time.
Tigers forward Lachlan Broederlow, winger Luke Laulili and Heath Mason all crossed in the final 20 minutes.
AAP
