Panthers co-captain Nathan Cleary admits helium thought his play was implicit instantly aft suffering a enarthrosis wounded during his State of Origin run this year.
Cleary picked up the wounded during the Blues' series-clinching triumph successful Origin II backmost successful June and was instantly ruled retired for the last crippled of the series, arsenic the wounded threatened to derail Penrith's premiership hopes.
READ MORE: Panthers manager reveals battered squad's existent wounded toll
However, aft seeing a enarthrosis specializer successful the aftermath of the injury, it was determined that a rehabilitation play arsenic opposed to country would beryllium the champion people of enactment for the 23-year-old.
Following his side's 14-12 expansive last triumph implicit South Sydney, Cleary credited the Panthers' aesculapian unit for being capable to get him backmost connected the tract successful clip for the team's finals campaign.
"It astir apt lasted astir 2 minutes erstwhile I archetypal recovered retired the prognosis of what it was," Cleary said erstwhile asked if helium ever thought his play was done.
"But aft that the physio beauteous overmuch called maine consecutive distant and said, 'We'll get you back', and it's conscionable afloat recognition to them. I can't convey them capable for the enactment they've enactment into me.
"They were ever ace affirmative and arsenic soon arsenic they said that, that's what it was ever going to be. I'm precise grateful for the physio unit for each the enactment and clip they've enactment into maine to get maine backmost connected the field.
"[The pain] has really not been that bad, and you comparison it to immoderate of the different guys successful our team, they're conscionable implicit warriors and they've been dealing with a batch worse worldly than I have.
"It makes my occupation easier to bash what I person to bash to get close and get connected the field."
Despite carrying a enarthrosis wounded passim the post-season, Cleary was instrumental successful Penrith's 3 consecutive wins to instrumentality retired the premiership.
He was named the Clive Churchill Medallist for a best-on-ground show successful the expansive final, starring to rave reviews from league large Peter Sterling.
"He's 23! He's inactive learning the game," Sterling said. "But he's experienced truthful overmuch astatine a young age. He's gone done Origin series, he's been nether unit arsenic a young subordinate with truthful overmuch expectation. But he's a implicit footballer."
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