Cleary marched in Penrith-Eels NRL clash

Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary is staring at up to five games on the sideline after he was sent off for the first time in his career during the Panthers’ 34-10 NRL loss to Parramatta.

Cleary was given his marching orders by referee Todd Smith after a spear tackle on lively Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown in the 17th minute in Friday night’s round 20 clash.

Brown was slammed head first into the turf by Clearly whose dismissal was warmly greeted by the Eels fans who formed part of the 26,912-strong crowd at CommBank Stadium.

Cleary is the first Penrith player since Travis Burns in 2012 to be sent off in an NRL premiership game.

Manly’s Karl Lawton and Wests Tigers centre Brent Naden were both handed four-game suspensions for grade-three dangerous tackles earlier this season.

Maika Sivo scores a try for the Eels. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Owing to a previous sanction this year, Cleary is likely to get a five-game suspension if hit with a grade-three charge when the NRL’s match review committee announces its charges on Saturday morning.

If he gets a grade-two charge he would be looking at just a three-match ban.

The first-placed Panthers, who are one win from securing the minor premiership, face Canberra, Melbourne, South Sydney, the Warriors and North Queensland to round out their season.

A ban for Cleary could not have come at a worse time with starting five-eighth Jarome Luai sidelined with a knee injury.

The ability of Sean O’Sullivan, who scored the opening try of the night, will be put to the test over the coming weeks with both Cleary and Luai spending time on the sideline.

Utility Jaeman Salmon and two-game rookie Kurt Falls, who has been battling an ankle injury, are the men likely to partner him for the back-end of the season.

The defeat was just Penrith’s second of the year, with both losses coming at the hands of the Eels.

The victory breathes life into an Eels campaign that appeared to be fizzing out after nearly two months of up-and-down performances.

The Eels, who lost winger Bailey Simonsson to a hamstring injury in the build-up, moved into sixth spot on the ladder and travel to Manly next Friday.

After Cleary set up O’Sullivan for the opening try, Isaiah Papali’i nabbed one back for the Eels in a helter-skelter opening period.

A deft 40/20 from Mitchell Moses led to Fijian winger Maika Sivo barrelling his way over in the corner next and both teams were neck and neck until Cleary’s send-off changed the whole complexion of the game.

The Eels hammered home their numerical advantage with crafty hooker Reed Mahoney grabbing a double and skipper Clint Gutherson also crossing to give them a 30-4 buffer at the break.

Penrith held firm after halftime and eventually got over through Liam Martin just after the hour mark.

The Eels struggled for fluency and even with their rivals a man down couldn’t score again until the 78th minute when Sivo added a second.