Jett Cleary on the Brink: Warriors Young Gun Poised for Debut After Panthers Clash Delivers New Setback
The New Zealand Warriors’ rollercoaster season has taken yet another twist, and this time it might just open the door for one of the most intriguing debuts in recent NRL memory.
Jett Cleary — younger brother of Panthers and NSW Origin star Nathan Cleary, and son of premiership-winning coach Ivan — could finally pull on the Warriors jersey for his first NRL game after the club suffered another injury blow in Friday night’s bruising encounter with Penrith. The match, played in torrential conditions at BlueBet Stadium, ended in a 26–12 win for the Panthers but left the Warriors counting more than just the scoreboard damage.
Midway through the second half, Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson limped from the field clutching his right calf, a grimace etched across his face. The veteran playmaker’s absence left a gaping hole in the Warriors’ spine, forcing a reshuffle that saw makeshift halves combination Te Maire Martin and Dylan Walker attempt to steady the ship. While they battled valiantly, the loss of Johnson’s direction and kicking game was telling.
With Johnson now expected to miss multiple weeks pending scans, head coach Andrew Webster faces a selection dilemma — and Jett Cleary’s name is suddenly at the top of the list.
The 19-year-old playmaker began his junior career in Penrith’s famed pathways syst
