Nathan Cleary's Horror Injury and Phoenix Crossland's Grand Final Fate

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Nathan Cleary was already playing through a broken foot when he stepped onto the field against Newcastle.

Less than 10 minutes after entering the game, the Penrith superstar was being taken from Accor Stadium on a medicab with a compound fracture and dislocation of his opposite ankle.

Now, Cleary faces surgery on both feet, while the Newcastle player responsible for the tackle that caused the second injury is facing the NRL judiciary with a grand final spot hanging in the balance.

It has become one of the biggest stories to emerge from an extraordinary NRL finals weekend.

Penrith had been deliberately cautious with their star halfback in the lead-up to the preliminary final. Cleary had suffered a stress-related injury to his right foot during the qualifying-final victory over the Sydney Roosters.

The full extent was only revealed after Sunday's match: the foot was actually broken.

According to Fox Sports, Cleary received pain-killing injections during the week and trained under strict restrictions before Penrith made the decision to name him on the interchange bench rather than start him. He warmed up separately from his teammates before entering the match in the 26th minute.

The plan was to keep him off the injured foot for as long as possible before using him when the game demanded it. It worked for approximately 10 minutes.

With Penrith attacking the Newcastle line, Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland brought Cleary to ground in a tackle that was deemed a hip drop. Cleary's left leg became trapped underneath him. The result was a compound fracture and dislocation of his left ankle.

Referee Gerard Sutton sent Crossland from the field, making it the first time a player has been sent off for a hip-drop tackle in NRL history.

Sutton explained that Crossland had made a definite twisting action before coming down on Cleary's leg with his weight, creating what he described as an extreme risk of serious injury.

Crossland was visibly distressed as Cleary received treatment and was eventually taken from the field. Newcastle were now down to 12 players, yet somehow, they produced one of the greatest comebacks in recent finals history.

The story hasn't ended there. The NRL Match Review Committee has referred Crossland directly to the judiciary on a dangerous-contact charge.

That means Crossland's season could now end with the Knights one victory away from their first premiership in 25 years.

He was already facing the prospect of missing the grand final after being sent off. The direct referral makes the situation even more serious.

Crossland had been expected to play a role for New Zealand at next month's Rugby League World Cup, meaning the consequences of the charge could extend beyond Newcastle's grand-final campaign.

The injury doesn't just end Cleary's 2026 NRL season. He is also ruled out of the World Cup.

According to Ivan Cleary, his son needs surgery on both feet. The left leg because of Sunday's compound fracture, and the right foot because of the injury he was already carrying into the match.

The damage around Penrith goes even further. Dylan Edwards suffered a ruptured PCL during the match and played on, while captain Isaah Yeo has been playing with a ruptured pectoral muscle and is also in doubt for Australia's World Cup campaign.

Blaize Talagi suffered an Achilles injury. It turned what was supposed to be Penrith's attempt to reach another grand final into one of the most damaging nights in the club's recent history.

For Newcastle, Sunday's victory was supposed to be the culmination of one of the greatest turnarounds in the NRL.

They went from wooden spooners in 2025 to grand finalists in 2026. For Penrith, it represented a brutal end to another premiership campaign.

For Cleary and Crossland, the preliminary final has created two very different situations.

One is facing months of rehabilitation after trying to play through an existing injury and then suffering another devastating injury.

The other is waiting to discover whether he will be allowed to play in the biggest game of his career.

What is certain is that Sunday's preliminary final will be remembered for far more than Newcastle's remarkable 22-14 victory.

It changed the course of Penrith's season, ended Cleary's World Cup hopes, and could determine whether Phoenix Crossland gets the opportunity to finish Newcastle's extraordinary season on the field.

The Knights have 80 minutes left to complete one of the greatest turnarounds in NRL history. Whether Crossland gets to be part of it is now in the hands of the judiciary.