Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary suffered a compound fracture of his left ankle during his side's NRL preliminary final clash with the Newcastle Knights at Accor Stadium on Sunday, in an incident that silenced thousands of fans.
The 28-year-old had dummied near the try-line as he tried to put his side ahead with five minutes remaining in the first half, only to be brought down by a hip-drop tackle from Pheonix Crossland. Medics immediately rushed to the Penrith man's aid after Knights second-rower Francis Manuleleua alerted them.
Stadium silenced as cameras pan away
As the shocking nature of his injury became apparent following replays, TV cameras panned out and away from where Cleary was receiving treatment, with the Sydney crowd left in stunned silence. According to reports, Cleary's mother Rebecca was left in tears in the stands, with the rest of his family also seen comforting each other.
The four-time premiership champion was then loaded onto a stretcher and driven off the field in a medical cart before being taken to hospital.
Commentators react to awful moment
“What an awful moment in this match, in this season,” said Fox Sports commentator Andrew Voss. “The stadium is silenced by that. The moment they caught a glimpse of that on the big screen, they knew that this was as serious as it gets.
“It’s a hard game, but this is an awful moment. An awful moment. I don’t care who you support, but this is a very sad moment for the game.”
A devastated Crossland was promptly sent off for the tackle on Cleary, with referee Gerard Sutton telling him: “Initially he’s up high. He makes a definite action so (he) twists, comes down on the leg with weight. It’s extreme risk of serious injury. You’re off.”
Newcastle seal historic upset
With Penrith left shaken by what unfolded, Newcastle - who picked up the NRL wooden spoon last season - went on to seal a historic 22-14 upset victory and book their place in the grand final.
“I think everyone knew it was a serious one,” said Fox League presenter Jake Duke. “The Panthers bench, sombre (and) couldn’t believe what was transpiring. We saw all of his teammates come to wish him well when he exited the field. They had to cradle his leg and it was a really devastating injury and he has been taken straight to hospital.”
