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Panthers captain Nathan Cleary has apologised after being sent off for a horror spear tackle on Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown.
But the star halfback is facing a five-match ban for the incident, after being hit with a Grade 3 charge by the NRL judiciary overnight.
Cleary took to Instagram after Penrith’s 34-10 defeat, admitting he ‘let the boys and the fans down’.
“Massive apologies for tonight. Filthy at myself for such a dumb moment that let the boys and the fans down,” Cleary wrote.
“I’m not about that, it was terrible technique and I need to be better.”
Cleary would need to risk a six-match suspension to challenge the verdict, which would leave him unavailable for the Panthers’ first final.
A five-game ban after an early plea will sideline him for the remainder of the home-and-away season.
Nathan became the first Panther to be dismissed in a decade and a week exactly, since Travis Burns against the Roosters in July 2012 for a high shot on Martin Kennedy.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary was quick to admit his son deserved to be sent off.
“It’s not what we want,” said Ivan. “I was looking at the incident there and it was a two-man tackle that turned into a one-man tackle, and that had something to do with it, but at the end of the day, he ended up in a position that we don’t want and he’s been sent from the field and we can’t argue with that.
“Nat was underneath and Liam Martin at the top, and Fish (James Fisher-Harris) was going to come in too. Nat took his base away and probably lifted a little bit too much. We would expect that point for the guys at the top to control that part of it but there was no control there and that’s how it ended up where it did.”
The halfback was ordered off for a spear tackle on Brown in the 18th minute with the score standing at 12-4.
The tackle looked bad immediately, and referee Todd Smith did not flinch. “Hands in between the legs, drove him into the ground, you’re off” was the explanation for one of the most sensational send-offs in years.
“That is a real bad one,” said Andrew Johns on the 9 coverage. “He gets him in a terrible position.”
Jonathan Thurston said that Cleary could expect a long sit down.
“It was very uncharacteristic from Nathan,” he said. “I don’t see him as a dirty player but he’s got his hand in that position near his groin and he’s lifted him up and he drove him into the ground.
“You can see the intention’s there to lift him. And it’s gone horribly wrong for him. I don’t think he’s a dirty player at all, this is not in his game but he’s made the second effort with his leg and got him in a dangerous position. He’s going to have a lengthy stint on the sideline.”
Paul Gallen claimed “at the start of the season that’s not a send-off offence”. He said he deserved to be marched but should only attract a grade-two dangerous throw charge which equates to a two-match ban. A grade-three charge would mean Cleary cops four weeks out.
“It’s a send-off every day of the week,” Thurston countered.
On Fox, Greg Alexander said that Todd Smith made the only call available to him.
“I don’t think the ref had any option,” said the Panthers legend. “His hands were tied. It’s a spear tackle and the bloke ended up on his head. The referee said hands between the legs, which they were, and that’s what the refs look for. He had no other option but to send Nathan.”