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Nathan Cleary powered Penrith’s push for a fourth consecutive NRL title as the Panthers secured a spot in the preliminary finals with a dominant 30-10 win over the Sydney Roosters. In what was their final game at Panthers Stadium before its redevelopment, Ivan Cleary’s squad gave the 21,483 fans in attendance plenty to cheer about, delivering a one-sided victory.
Nathan Cleary, returning from a shoulder injury, showed no signs of rust, and with just four minutes remaining, was subbed off as Penrith locked in a week off ahead of their next match at Accor Stadium. “He was outstanding,” said Ivan Cleary, both coach and father. “He brings immense confidence to our team. Facing Angus [Crichton], arguably the best back-rower, was no easy task, but Nathan handled it brilliantly.”
Cleary controlled the game, contributing to three Panthers tries and outclassing the Roosters with his tactical kicking.
Meanwhile, the Roosters struggled from the start. Coach Trent Robinson’s side will now face a sudden-death match after being thoroughly outplayed by the Panthers, who stormed to a 24-0 lead at halftime. The Roosters’ attack lacked direction, and their defense was outmatched as Penrith relentlessly targeted halves Luke Keary and Sandon Smith.
“Errors early on gave them field position, and they executed well,” said Robinson. “We were losing the physical battle, especially in tackles three, four, and five.”
Penrith’s dominance began with a strong opening set, capitalizing on a dropped ball by Daniel Tupou, allowing Brian To’o to score. Cleary’s clever chip kick led to a second try by Izack Tago, with further scores by Jarome Luai and Luke Garner pushing the lead. A brief Roosters fightback, including tries from James Tedesco and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, wasn’t enough to reverse the tide as errors continued to plague them.
