NRL finals 2026 LIVE updates: Nathan Cleary a no-show as Panthers warm up ahead of kick-off

Big breaking team news from the Panthers.

Ivan Cleary has benched superstar halfback Nathan Cleary. He’s starting with Jack Cogger and Jack Cole in the halves. Nathan will come off the bench in jersey No.7 as he nurses bone stress damage in his right foot. The coach was asked point-blank yesterday at his pre-game press conference if this was a chance of happening and he danced a fine two-step.

I’ve just watched Cleary (Nathan, that is) wander out here at Accor and go through his usual pre-game visualisation with a footy. There was the usual dummying to no-one but no kicking. I suspect the wet and slippery conditions have played a part in Penrith’s call to keep him on the bench to start, but this is quite something. Huge decision from Penrith.

Scott Sorensen has also been called into the Panthers starting side onto the left edge in place of Isaiah Papalii, he also drops back to the pine. And just for fun, Liam Henry is starting up front for Lindsay Smith. Bit. Doing.

Next Sunday’s NRL decider has some work to do to top the TV numbers that were reported by Seven for Saturday’s AFL grand final.

Channel Seven is reporting that Saturday’s gripping clash between Brisbane and Fremantle was the most watched program this year, with a national total TV audience of 4.52 million and an audience reach of 6.5 million. That’s up eight per cent on the previous year.

Australian audiences also watched Saturday’s pre-match entertainment en masse, which featured Kylie Minogue, in a long-awaited grand final appearance. Seven reported that the pre-match show reached an audience of 4.35 million with a total TV audience of 1.83 million – up 20 per cent on last year when Snoop Dogg was the main attraction.

The NRL, itself no stranger to massive free-to-air TV numbers on host broadcaster Nine, will know later this afternoon who will face the Roosters next Sunday night.

Of course, the NRL won’t have any pre-game entertainment this year following last week’s discovery that the deal to see Tones and I perform fell over.

Despite traffic and train chaos, there is a massive turnout of Knights fans here at Accor Stadium. Red and blue everywhere.

One particularly enthusiastic Knights supporter has expressed his disappointment to three police officers that their uniform doesn’t have any red in it. The comment was thoroughly enjoyed by all involved.

Fair play to Penrith for keeping the Nathan Cleary news under wraps. Going to be a Cleary circus if Penrith get through to a grand final that would be a rematch of the 2003 decider. Wet and cool conditions but should be a cracker.

My tip: Knights by four points.

Unsurprisingly, Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook isn’t too upset by the benching of Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary.

However, Holbrook was quick to say that they couldn’t think too much about it. Here are his comments from Fox.

“I’m OK with it, that’s for sure [Cleary benching]. We haven’t over-emphasised him as a player – they won’t change the way they play,” Holbrook said.

“As usual, most of the focus is on ourselves and improving on last week. But yeah, we’re OK with that.”

Speaking on how Penrith like to dominate and set the agenda for the match, Holbrook said they wouldn’t be bullied into playing how the Panthers want this afternoon.

“They like to dictate the game, and I think our style doesn’t let them do that,” Holbrook said.

“We don’t need to change anything or play any differently, but even with him [Cleary] not playing or coming off the bench, they’ve won plenty of games without him in years gone by. They’re not going to lose a lot – obviously, he’s a great player – but for us, we just want to make sure we play our footy.”

Phil Gould has weighed in on what he thinks will be Penrith’s plan with Cleary today.

“I don’t think he will be used if he doesn’t have to be,” Gould said on Nine’s coverage.

“That [selection call] would say to me that he is not 100 per cent right; otherwise they would be starting him in such an important game.

“They have obviously known all week, which is why they were hiding the training sessions and remained so coy about Nathan’s conditions.

“If he was 85 per cent fit, he would be starting. Their first hope will be that they don’t need him. If they do, just how much can he help them given his condition?”

Ivan may have made mass changes, but Justin Holbrook’s Newcastle side are all settled. They will line up 1-19 as they were named on Tuesday.

1. Kalyn Ponga (c), 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. Jermain McEwen, 12. Francie Manuleluea, 13. Mat Croker

Interchange: 14. Harrison Graham, 15. Lachlan Crouch, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Dylan Lucas, 18. Fletcher Hunt, 19. Thomas Cant

Nothing is going right for fans trying to get out to Accor Stadium this afternoon.

Trains? Yeah, nah, expect delays.

Cars? Traffic is cooked. Our photographer Sitthixay Ditthavong has been out taking snaps of the traffic chaos in Homebush right now. He says traffic on the M4 is backed up all the way to Rose Hill.