Superstar Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary is reported to be working day and night to put himself in contention for Sunday's grand final rematch against the Storm.
Cleary, who dislocated his shoulder twice in State of Origin Game 2 as well as suffering a labral tear, has been sat on the sidelines for a month and incredibly has put himself in the conversation for selection.
The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that the 23-year-old is set to begin contact training this week, whilst in previous weeks he has set new personal bests in the gym in order to get himself fit for the Melbourne match.
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Despite this the probability of him being selected by father and coach Ivan Cleary are relatively low, with the Panthers boss making it no secret he wouldn't risk his son if he wasn't ready.
When asked after the Panthers' 18-12 win over the Broncos if Nathan would be in the side to face the Storm, coach Cleary refuted the statement.
“He’s going well but we certainly aren’t going to rush him in because other players are out. “He’s just got to keep ticking the boxes and keep working at his rehab which he’s doing so when he’s ready we’ll make that call," Cleary told the media.
Despite this, Panthers head of high performance Hayden Knowles has shed light on just how committed the superstar was to making sure he was fit at the earliest possible opportunity.
“He works tirelessly with the physios and coaches and contributes around camp in any way he can. He’ll also do extra kicking, goal kicking and helps the coaches, including his dad," Knowles told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“He’s also increased his leg strength with major lifts like squatting, with his results better than what he was lifting in the pre-season."
The Panthers need to win this encounter with the Storm if they wish to make it back-to-back minor premierships, with a loss here surely condemning Cleary's side to runner-up status.
With the unfolding COVID-crisis in Sydney the competition has had to head north to Queensland, with the grand final rematch being played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
