Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary will be free to play Brisbane in round one after the NRL Judiciary downgraded his careless high tackle charge. He will get a fine instead of a suspension.
Cleary had been facing time on the sidelines over a tackle on Wests Tigers winger Heamasi Makasini in the 38th minute of Penrith’s 26 to 12 Pre-Season Challenge loss at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night.
The Panthers risked a longer penalty by challenging the grading at the judiciary. The club pushed for the charge to be reduced from grade two to grade one.
If the bid failed, Cleary would have missed the opening match against Brisbane on March 6 at Lang Park, plus games against Cronulla and the Sydney Roosters.
Instead, the panel agreed to the downgrade. Cleary will now get a $1800 fine after an early guilty plea to a grade one offence.
Cleary was represented at Rugby League Central by his father and Panthers coach Ivan Cleary rather than a lawyer.
The hearing was chaired by Geoffrey Bellew SC with former player Ryan James and former referee Greg McCallum on the panel. NRL legal counsel Lachlan Gyles SC appeared for the league.
During the hearing, Nathan Cleary told the panel he had rushed in but believed the contact was shoulder to shoulder saying “If I stand back and he gets momentum and I risk becoming a speedbump,”
Gyles said Cleary’s speed and force increased the risk of contact with the head. Ivan Cleary told the panel Penrith was disputing direct contact with the head and pointed to the ball juggle and Makasini’s body height at the moment of impact.
