Usual suspect saves the day

Nathan Cleary picked up exactly where he left off to come through unscathed on his return from a shoulder injury and remind everyone how pivotal he is to the Panthers’ premiership hopes.

Penrith’s 34-16 win over a wasteful Dragons was notable for the single fact that Cleary is back and his shoulder held up to punishing collisions with aplomb. Whether he gets charged for a possible shoulder charge on Jack Bird in the second half will be the main concern for Penrith.

For the Dragons, it was both another nail in the coffin of their finals hopes and they lost hooker Andrew McCullough to an ankle injury.

Cleary, who was given an early mark five minutes from time, has not lost any of the NRL or Origin games that he has played this year, such is his value to any side he plays in. When he suffered a labrum tear in his right shoulder in NSW’s 28-0 win over the Maroons in Game Two of the State of Origin series, the Panthers drew a collective deep breath and just hoped he would return to steer their quest for title glory.

The first hurdle is out of the way.

The Panthers repelled nine early sets with the steely defence that has been their flagship all season. So intense was it that Dragons five-eighth Corey Norman pushed a pass and Brent Naden raced the length to score the opening try.

Penrith’s attack was all over the shop early. They completed just two of their first seven sets and the Dragons finally made the most of it when Zac Lomax unfurled a corking offload to Mikaele Ravalawa with three players on his case.

When Norman threw another dud pass, the Panthers made them pay with Naden and Dylan Edwards both crossing to give Penrith a 16-6 halftime lead.

Edwards was sensational at fullback and when he scored early in the second half the Panthers put the foot down with Jarome Luai and Brent Naden cutting loose.

Cleary last played in the second game of the State of Origin series. (Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Cleary watch

All eyes were on Cleary and how his shoulder would hold up to the defensive load and contact in particular. An early bone rattler on a rampaging Billy Burns would have removed any self doubt and by halftime he’d made 12 tackles with none missed. He kicked mostly with precision, returned to his general ways and unlocked the attacking potency of his halves partner Jarome Luai who was a major threat on the left edge.

Naden’s first-half double helped the Panthers to a ten-point halftime lead. (Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)Source:Getty Images

Dire Dragons

The Dragons have been gone nowhere since BBQ-gate and their finals hopes are on life support. Stuck on 18 competition points, they must win all three of their remaining games and hope for other results to go their way. With Ben Hunt injured, the Dragons must recall fullback Matt Dufty. Dufty’s creativity is missed and Jack Bird, who was still one of the Dragons’ best at fullback, should be slotted back into the centres to get their attack firing. Teenager Talatau Amone came on to spark the Dragons and is a great halves prospect for the club.

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