Cooper Cronk believes the Panthers are taking a “very, very cautious” approach with the management of star halfback Nathan Cleary after the club announced he’ll miss eight weeks with a Grade 2 hamstring tear.
Cleary left the ground in the first half of Penrith’s win over the Bulldogs on Friday night after re-aggravating a hamstring injury which has already kept him out of four games this season.
It’s a shattering blow to the Panthers but also the Blues’ chances of denying three straight State of Origin series wins.
“Eight weeks out, missing State of Origin. This is massive, for not only Penrith but for the Blues,” Braith Anasta said on Fox League’s Sunday Ticket.
Cronk and Panthers legend Greg Alexander believe that Penrith are erring on the side of caution with their marquee player.
“I guess it’s because of the occurrence and it’s an injury that he’s battling with at the moment. Having a month off then coming back to play then resting because of the short turnaround but he did train well for the two weeks. There was no issue at training,” Alexander said.
“Obviously with the reoccurance of it and it being as serious as a Grade 2, I guess they’ll be hopeful he comes back before the eight weeks but I think that will be the max. Hopefully it comes good quicker than that.
Cronk added: “I think it’s a very, very cautious approach and rightly so. I don’t think he actually had a Grade 2 tear, because a Grade 2 is what Tom Trbojevic suffered on Thursday night and he limped off.”
“Nathan ran off the field basically. Jogged to position and then came off.
“The last thing he needs to be doing is having two weeks off, coming back playing Origin and then overloading it and then doing it completely.
“I think it’s a slow and steady approach and I agree with it completely. He needs to be right at the right time of the year for Penrith.”
With Cleary out, Sharks star Nicho Hynes and Eels playmaker Mitch Moses appear to be in the hot seat to be named the starting halves pairing for the Blues in Game I.
However, it’s not as open and shut as that with both dealing with injuries themselves.
Hynes was a late scratching against the Storm on Saturday with a calf issue, although Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon believes the halfback will be right next week.
Moses has been sidelined since fracturing his foot in Round 3. His return has been earmarked for next weekend’s clash against the Storm.
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