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Panthers Worry About Dylan Edwards’ Fitness as Nathan Cleary Returns for NRL Finals
The Panthers will welcome back Nathan Cleary for their qualifying final against the Sydney Roosters but reportedly still hold reservations about the fitness of star fullback Dylan Edwards. The Penrith No.1 has struggled with a right knee injury in recent weeks, with his in-game involvement well below usual levels.
Edwards picked up the knee injury in a man-of-the-match performance as he helped the Blues seal the State of Origin series. He made his return from injury for Penrith against Melbourne in Round 24 but hasn’t had the same impact on the side as he did in the first half of the NRL season. Since returning from injury he has scored just two tries and his runs are well down on his season average. In the four matches since returning from injury, Edwards has averaged just 182 run metres. In comparison in the four games before Game 3, where he was injured, he averaged 232m.
And on Wednesday night Fox League’s James Hooper expressed concern over whether he is fit enough to help lead Penrith to an unprecedented fourth-straight premiership. “You can see he’s got that right knee heavily strapped,” Hooper said.
“Normally he is a million miles an hour and an effort player in every area of the game. I just felt like he’s playing a little within himself.” While veteran journalist Dean Ritchie says he has been below his best since returning from injury. “He’s been a bit down since State of Origin I think.”
Dylan Edwards insists his knee is improving week by week
Speaking to the media earlier this week, Edwards admitted while the injury recovery is a work in progress, every time he steps out onto the field he gains confidence in his knee. “I’m going good and getting better. Everyone is talking about the knee and all that but I’m getting better every week,” he said.
“It took a couple of weeks (to feel comfortable on it again) but I’m getting better on it every week and getting more confidence. No one will be playing without something ailing at the moment. It just is what it is.”
The Panthers will also be buoyed by the return of Cleary for this weekend’s qualifying final against the Roosters. Penrith coach Ivan Cleary confirmed on Wednesday that the halfback had ticked all the boxes needed to take the field this weekend in what is a timely boost for the triple-reigning premiers.
Cleary is also not expected to require pain-killing needles to play after first suffering shoulder instability in the pre-season. And the Panthers coach said the club didn’t consider holding their No.7 back to return next week. “He’s fit, and this was always the plan to play him this week,” coach Cleary said. “The stakes have moved up, and we always want to pick our best team and he is ready this week.”
This weekend’s match will also mark just the sixth time this season – and only the second time since round 10 – that Penrith will start a game with their first-choice spine.
Kalyn Ponga has been out to prove a point on returning from his foot injury and it’s the major reason Newcastle are playing NRL finals.
The Knights’ top-eight credentials appeared in disarray when Ponga was diagnosed with a Lisfranc injury in his right foot as the side sat 15th on the ladder through seven rounds.
But after Newcastle held themselves together in his absence, Ponga hit top gear on return for the final two months of the regular season.
The fullback was the difference between the Knights and the Dolphins in a 14-6 win on Sunday that confirmed Newcastle would clinch the last remaining top-eight spot.
Ahead of Saturday’s elimination final against North Queensland in Townsville, Ponga put his form down to a mindset shift during an 11-week lay-off.
“Coming back from my injury, I sort of felt like I had a point to prove,” Ponga said.
“Just proving that the best version of myself is the best. When you’re injured, you’re not really the best version of yourself. You’re coming back from rehab, you’re doing all that.
“Once I’m on the field, I want to be the best version of myself so just making sure I do everything day to day to do that.”
Ponga made a similarly emphatic return from injury towards the end of last season, shaking off a serious concussion to inspire a 10-game winning streak that stretched to the second week of finals.
“I’ve been injured the last half of each season so then I’m kind of timely at the back end,” Ponga said.
The Knights spent only three weeks in the top eight this season, the fewest for any finals team since Canberra in 2010, but Ponga always felt the side was play-off material.
“We’ve seemed to put it together at the right time over the last three, four, five weeks (but) it’s not a coincidence,” he said.
“I think we’ve just stuck at what we thought was happening, what we were doing right and it’s sort of just coming along.”
Ponga returns to his old stomping ground with the Knights this Saturday, having made his NRL debut on the wing in the Cowboys’ 2016 semi-final win over Brisbane.
The 26-20 win ranks among the former Cowboy’s best memories on a rugby league field.
“It all happened very quick – young 18-year-old with no idea what was really going on, how big the occasion and everything was.
“Being naive and young was probably in a way a favour, not really understanding the work that had been done to get into that position.
“I was lucky to have some good leaders at the time, obviously JT (Jonathan Thurston), Michael Morgan, Matt Scott, Gavin Cooper, Lachie Coote. All these players are legends of the game.
“It was probably one of my favourite experiences, really.”
Key detail about Nathan Cleary emerges as Panthers make huge call on halfback’s fitness
The Penrith Panthers coach made a huge reveal about the returning halfback.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has claimed halfback and son Nathan Cleary will return for the NRL finals in a strong state having claimed he won’t need needles for pain management against the Roosters. Cleary has not played footy since NRL round 24 having left the field clutching at his shoulder against the Storm.
The Panthers missed Cleary in a shock loss to the Raiders, but managed to bounce and finish in second on the ladder. Cleary’s fitness and recovery has been kept quiet for some time, but he was expected to be named this week.
Halves partner Jarome Luai backed the No.7’s return against the Roosters, while teammate Liam Martin suggested Cleary could see traffic from rival back-rower Angus Crichton on Friday night. Despite concern over his fitness and the strength of his shoulder, the Penrith coach has reassured Panthers fans the mercurial halfback doesn’t even need pain management heading into the clash.
“This was always the plan to play him this week,” coach Cleary said on Wednesday afternoon. “The stakes have moved up and we always want to pick our best team. He’s ready this week.
