Nathan Cleary will start on the interchange for Penrith in today’s NRL preliminary final against Newcastle at Accor Stadium, with Jack Cogger promoted to the starting side at halfback. Cleary keeps the No.7 jersey but is listed on the bench in the final team lists on NRL.com, while Jack Cole stays at five-eighth. Kick-off is 4pm AEST.
The team changes
The Panthers made three changes to their starting 13 from the side named earlier in the week. Cogger (No.14) starts at halfback in place of Cleary, Liam Henry (No.16) starts at prop with Lindsay Smith moving to the bench, and Scott Sorensen (No.15) starts in the second row with Isaiah Papali’i dropping back to the interchange, according to Zero Tackle’s final teams and the NRL.com team list.
NRL.com described Cogger’s promotion and Cleary starting from the bench as “a huge call by coach Ivan Cleary on game day” in its match preview team news. At the time of writing, the club had not explained the late change.
Newcastle are unchanged, with coach Justin Holbrook sticking with the 19 that beat the Warriors at Eden Park last week.
Why it matters
Cleary has been managing a bone stress injury in his right kicking foot, suffered in the qualifying final win over the Roosters. On Saturday, Ivan Cleary declared his son a certain starter and ruled out him starting from the bench, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
“No, Nat’s ready to play,” Ivan Cleary said.
Cogger returns from a three-game suspension and has been in this situation before. As NRL.com noted earlier in the week, he came off the bench in the 2023 grand final to replace an injured Jarome Luai and played a key role in Penrith’s comeback win.
The Panthers are chasing a sixth grand final in seven years. The Knights are playing in their first preliminary final since 2013.
Penrith Panthers
- 1 Dylan Edwards, 2 Thomas Jenkins, 3 Blaize Talagi, 4 Casey McLean, 5 Brian To’o
- 6 Jack Cole, 14 Jack Cogger
- 8 Moses Leota, 9 Mitch Kenny, 16 Liam Henry
- 12 Liam Martin, 15 Scott Sorensen, 13 Isaah Yeo
- Interchange: 7 Nathan Cleary, 10 Lindsay Smith, 11 Isaiah Papali’i, 17 Billy Phillips, 18 Luke Garner, 21 Freddy Lussick
Newcastle Knights
- 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Dominic Young, 3 Dane Gagai, 4 Bradman Best, 5 Greg Marzhew
- 6 Fletcher Sharpe, 7 Sandon Smith
- 8 Tyson Frizell, 9 Phoenix Crossland, 10 Cody Hopwood
- 11 Jermaine McEwen, 12 Francis Manuleleua, 13 Mat Croker
- Interchange: 14 Harrison Graham, 15 Lachlan Crouch, 16 Pasami Saulo, 17 Dylan Lucas, 18 Fletcher Hunt, 19 Thomas Cant
What’s next
Kick-off at Accor Stadium is 4pm AEST. The winner meets the Roosters in the NRL grand final on Sunday 4 October.
For more on the finals series, read our recent coverage of Wayne Bennett’s proposed bunker overhaul.
This story will be updated if Penrith explain the change.
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