Nathan Cleary Left Shattered as Panthers’ Struggles Persist in Captain’s Milestone 250th Game

Isaah Yeo’s milestone 250th match celebrations fell flat as the North Queensland Cowboys thwarted the Penrith Panthers, compounding their struggles at the start of the season.

Following a solid win against the Raiders, the Cowboys capitalised on their trip to Sydney, securing a 22-18 victory over the four-time champions.

Penrith went into the second half leading 18-12, but their game took a disastrous turn as minor mistakes began to disrupt their momentum.

The Cowboys displayed an electrifying attacking flair upon returning from the break, with Coen Hess sending a strong warning to Penrith’s offence, flattening playmaker Nathan Cleary with a fierce tackle.

The impact prompted Cleary to make a desperate attempt to halt an advancing Cowboys attack as Penrith scrambled to reorganise their defensive line.

There was apprehension among players regarding whether Hess’s hit was too high, but referee Peter Gough confirmed the contact was forcefully around the body.

Penrith’s woes compounded when Yeo was reported for a high tackle on Scott Drinkwater right in front of the posts.

With 15 mistakes and six penalties given away, Paul Alamoti appeared primed to be the “hero” his side needed by soaring over the line to score an incredible try.

“How he manages to score here, I’ll never know,” Steve Roach remarked on Fox League.

“That was simply extraordinary. He is a hero,” Michael Ennis added.

However, his acrobatic efforts were ultimately chalked off by the Bunker as his foot had touched the sideline before he grounded the ball.

Adding to their woes, Izack Tago was sent off for a third costly mistake on the day for the locals. In an attempt to prevent Murray Taulagi from scoring, Tago caught him high around the head as both players went to ground.

Cleary sought to create some late-game brilliance even after his side was down to 12 men, only to drop the ball near halfway as the Cowboys celebrated the victory.

Catch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

Before the match, Yeo was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd, who honoured the stalwart in the 13th minute—his jersey number that he proudly wears for Penrith.

The audience’s excitement reached a peak when Casey McLean powered over to equalise the score.

Tago quickly followed with another try for Penrith, leading to the Cowboys being reduced to 12 men when Reece Robson was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Daine Laurie.

Initially, referee Gough only ruled a penalty for the hit, but the Bunker stepped in.

“It just clipped him over the chin … Robson can’t believe it,” Michael Ennis commented during the broadcast on Fox Sports.

The Cowboys’ captain, Tom Dearden, tried to reason with the referee, claiming Laurie’s body was lowering before contact was made.

“The player is falling before the contact, so the target area naturally lowers,” he was heard saying.

“That has to be taken into account.”

League legend Steve Roach expressed his surprise that the tackle merited more than a penalty without further review.

“You wouldn’t need to look at it a second time, would you? You’d see it straight away,” he stated.