Nathan Cleary posts a gruesome photo of a horrific finger injury.
Nathan Cleary took to social media to reveal a gory image of his damaged finger, which dislocated a month ago during a training session.
Holding his hand up to the camera, the 25-year-old’s right ring finger is bent awkwardly to the side above his first knuckle.
On Monday, he posted the photo to Instagram, along with many others from the previous month.
Fans reacted quickly to the injury, with one claiming it “should’ve come with a trigger warning.”
The incident, which occurred during a training session, threatened to disrupt the team’s season, according to Penrith Panthers deputy chairman Greg Alexander.
However, Cleary’s finger was successfully “realigned”, and he went on to face Melbourne Storm several days later in the season’s prelim.
“A ball hit him in the tip of the finger at training, (it was) dislocated, and he couldn’t put it back in at training,” Mr Alexander told SEN 1170 Breakfast last month.
“(He) went to the medical centre, it was realigned, scans were clear, everything’s fine, players dislocate fingers quite regularly during games, not so much at training, but it happens occasionally.
“The training staff couldn’t get it back in at the ground. Sometimes the player can’t get it (the finger) in and has to leave the field to get it back in.”
Despite the injury being a “rarity”, the problem was quickly resolved after hospital scans confirmed it was a dislocation, ending fears Cleary would be unable to play in the blockbuster game.
Cleary won his second Clive Churchill medal after setting up two tries and scoring another in an all-time grand final performance as the Panthers went on to win the 2023 NRL Premiership in a thrilling 26-4 triumph against the Broncos.
Due to a knee ailment, he was forced out of the Pacific Championships earlier this month.
