Cleary

Nathan Cleary is one step closer to playing out his career at the Panthers after he and his father penned new contract extensions with the premiership-winning club on Wednesday.

The pair will remain at the Panthers until at least the end of 2027 after Nathan gained a three-year upgrade on his 2024 contract while Ivan was a free agent at the end of next season but will now remain in charge for another five years.

The premiers Penrith are adamant gun halfback Nathan Cleary will be given right up until game day to prove he’s good to go for the season-opener against Manly.

But as we know with the champion Penrith and NSW halfback, where there’s a will there’s a way.

Cleary has timed his rehabilitation to the millisecond to the point where there’s every chance he’s out there to take on Tommy Turbo and the Sea Eagles.

Can the Panthers become only the second team in 25 seasons to go back-to-back?

Trbojevic joined Cleary, Roosters captain James Tedesco, South Sydney's Cody Walker and Sea Eagles halfback Daly Cherry-Evans as the stars short-listed for the prestigious award to be announced next week.  

The unveiling of the top five on Monday night was part of a new-look awards ceremony this year, split across two evenings with the Dally M medal winner to be crowned at Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane on September 27.

Reynolds will return to the Rabbitohs line-up this week after he was rested for the side's final regular-season game against the Dragons.

The departing playmaker spent time with the Rabbitohs outside backs at training last week, lofting several spiralling kicks in preparation for Saturday night's showdown with the Panthers.

Cleary recorded a mammoth 844 kick metres in round 23 to turn the match on its head after the Bunnies took a 12-0 lead early.

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary on Thursday indicated the star halfback was a better than even money bet to play his first match since suffering the injury in Origin II in June.

"At this stage he’s a good chance [of playing]," he said. "We’ve always said that when we feel like he’s ready, we’ll pull the trigger, and he’s very close. I said last week that he was more unlikely to play than play. This week, he’s more likely to play than not. [We’ve] still got a training session to do."