The NRL and Penrith Panthers will wait until Wednesday morning to decide if Nathan Cleary is well enough to appear live on camera from his hospital bed should he win the Dally M Medal.
Cleary underwent surgery late on Sunday after suffering a double compound fracture in his left leg as a result of a hip-drop tackle by Newcastle’s Phoenix Crossland.
The game’s best player is the hot favourite to take out rugby league’s top gong on Wednesday night – but the NRL and Cleary’s club will be guided by the player over what level of involvement he is prepared to have should he prevail as he recovers at Royal North Shore Hospital.
Sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed other options being discussed included Panthers coach Ivan Cleary accepting the award on his son’s behalf, or even asking Nathan to pre-record an acceptance speech.
Cleary has never won the Dally M, and was pipped by Jack Wighton in 2020 when most fans expected him to win.
That night was hijacked by The Daily Telegraph’s decision to publish the Wighton story hours before it was made official, which led to the NRL clamping down on publishing embargoes. This year was the first time the NRL did not even make public the finalists for the different awards, including captain, coach and rookie of the year.
The Rugby League Players Association on Monday announced Cleary as their Players’ Champion, the award he won in 2020. His partner, Matildas forward Mary Fowler, took to social media to congratulate Cleary, posting on Instagram: “As proud as one can be. So well deserved darling.”
Cleary was in front by three votes when polling went behind closed doors after round 12. Canterbury’s Jackson Ford was second, but suffered a ruptured pectoral and missed the second half of the season.
Cleary’s main rivals include Penrith teammate Dylan Edwards, who was sidelined late in the regular season because of a shoulder complaint. Cronulla’s Will Kennedy, North Queensland’s Scott Drinkwater, and even Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga, who caused a boilover in 2023 to pinch the Dally M by one vote from Shaun Johnson, are also expected to be in the race.
Ponga, however, on Tuesday thought the award was Cleary’s to lose. “He’s been the best player a number of years, although he hasn’t won the award, he’s been the best – he definitely deserves it, and just keeps getting better, which is scary,” he said.
Cleary was instrumental in NSW beating Queensland in the Origin series, and won the Wally Lewis Medal winner for being the best player in the series.
Brad Fittler, the Penrith and Roosters legend, and a close friend of the Cleary family, was heartbroken to see Nathan in pain on the weekend, not to mention witness the raw emotion shown by his parents, Ivan and Bec, the latter who was seated just behind him at Accor Stadium.
“I thought he was going to clean up everything this year, he looked strong early, then [dominated] Origin, I thought he was unbeatable – it took a broken foot and broken leg to stop him,” Fittler said.
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