Bold take: Nathan Cleary’s round-one availability is suddenly in jeopardy after a high shot that earned him a sin-bin, casting a shadow over Penrith’s preseason build-up. And this is where the stakes heat up... Let’s break down what happened and why it matters.
In a late-February trial at Leichhardt Oval, Cleary was sent to the bin by referee Ashley Klein for a high tackle on Wests Tigers’ promising teenager Heamasi Makasini. The hit, delivered as Makasini juggled the ball in the Tigers’ half, drew loud jeers from Panthers fans and a notable moment of tension as Cleary exited the field.
Cleary’s suspension fate now rests with the NRL’s match review committee, which is due to publish its findings Saturday morning. A charge could affect Penrith’s hopes of kicking off the season against Brisbane, especially since Cleary is already navigating a prior charge from last year’s finals for a careless high-tackle. If the committee grades this as a two-point offense and Cleary takes the early guilty plea, a two-game ban could loom rather than the standard one-game penalty.
Meanwhile, Jack Cogger, Cleary’s most likely replacement, missed Friday’s trial with a minor niggle. The good news for Penrith is that Makasini, just 18, emerged without injury and continued to impress after a sensational display at full pace—his first-half try spree and a 40-meter mazy run that drew comparisons to some of the greats. Makasini’s performance only strengthens his case to feature on the wing when the season begins, despite his youth.
The trial also showcased a competitive duel with Panthers’ Brian To’o, who opened the scoring off a Cleary cutout pass. Tigers’ Jahream Bula and Panthers’ Paul Alamoti traded late first-half tries, before Makasini’s powerful charge tightened the score to 12-10 at the break. Cleary was sin-binned just before halftime and did not return after his ten-minute suspension expired.
Both coaches—Penrith’s Ivan Cleary and Wests Tigers’ Benji Marshall—kept their top players off after halftime, with the game opening up in the final twenty minutes as Tigers’ Lachlan Broederlow, Luke Laulili, and Heath Mason crossed for tries.
Controversy-ready questions: Do you think Cleary deserves a longer ban based on today’s evidence, or should the grade reflect his intent and the surrounding context? How should teams balance aggressive defense with player safety in trial matches that can still influence sentiment and fate? Share your take in the comments: is this a clear foul warranting punishment, or a justified tough-love moment that should be treated more leniently in a pre-season context?
