Rugby player Cleary promises to return after surgery — ABC News Australia

In Australia, Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary, after surgery on his broken left ankle, thanked fans for their support and said he plans to return to playing. This was reported by ABC News Australia.

The 28-year-old Cleary sustained an open fracture of his left ankle in Sunday’s NRL preliminary final against the Newcastle Knights. The injury ended his 2026 season early and will prevent him from taking part in the Kangaroos’ World Cup campaign.

Posts from hospital

On Monday, the athlete posted a photo from hospital on Instagram, showing his left leg bandaged after surgery. Cleary said the operation had been completed, thanked everyone who had contacted him and described the support as incredible. At the end of the post, he wrote in English: “I’ll be back”.

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Cleary started the game on the bench and entered the field about 25 minutes after the start of the first half. It later became known that he had already been playing with a broken bone in his right foot. Cleary spent about 10 minutes on the field before Newcastle hooker Phoenix Crossland fell on his ankle during a tackle.

Review of Crossland’s case

Crossland was sent off for a hip-drop tackle, and the match review committee referred his case to the NRL disciplinary body. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. The player could face a lengthy suspension that may prevent him from playing in the NRL final.

Former Maroons coach Billy Slater said changes in the interpretation of tackle rules could have affected Crossland’s actions. According to him, the current rules force players to act more cautiously against footballers who may make a pass, and this could have contributed to Crossland finding himself in a passive position during the incident.