Cleary’s field goal settles an epic, then the wait begins

For 72 minutes the minor premiers and the Roosters could not be separated. Then Nathan Cleary did what he has done so often in September, slotting the field goal that broke a 12–12 deadlock. Five minutes later Brian To’o intercepted a loose Roosters pass and ran the length of the field to make it 19–12.

The celebration came with a caveat. Cleary was sin-binned just before half-time for dangerous contact on Hugo Savala’s kicking leg, and the incident goes to Monday’s charge sheet. A Grade 1 charge would mean a fine; a Grade 2 could keep him out of the preliminary final.

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary was blunt about intent — his halfback, he said, was simply trying to make a play and got the angle wrong.

Penrith now wait for the winner of the Warriors–Knights semi. The Roosters stay alive in a sudden-death semi-final against Cronulla at the SFS on Saturday.