BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 03: Nathan Cleary of the Panthers runs the ball during the 2021 NRL Grand Final match between the Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium on October 03, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary was all but certain to miss the opening rounds of the 2022 season as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

But now it has been revealed that the star half is fighting to make Round 1, when the Penrith Panthers open the new season against the Manly Sea Eagles on home soil.

In what will be a momentous occasion for the club, who are coming off their first premiership since 2003, Cleary is apparently ahead of his recovery timeline.

The star, who also led the New South Wales Blues to a State of Origin series win in 2021 and will be in the mix for the Australian team when it is picked at the end of the year for the Rugby League World Cup, finished the season at less than 100 per cent fitness.

He originally injured the shoulder in Game 2 of the State of Origin series and after a careful return to play, was able to make it through the end of the season.

The star half, who attended the celebrations with his arm in a sling, told The Sydney Morning Herald> that there was no rush, but that the aim was for a Round 1 to 3 return.

“I’m trying to tick each box as it comes. One of my biggest mottos is to stay present and in the moment, and I’m just doing that at this time to try and get it right," Cleary said.

“The aim is for round one to three. There’s no rush.

“We haven’t spoken about it too much, we just touched on it at the start how that if everything went right, then I would be right for round one.

“I definitely don’t want to come back and be favouring it or anything like that. We will see how it goes.”