Cleary suffers compound ankle fracture as Panthers battle Knights

Nathan Cleary was carried from the field on a medicab after suffering a compound fracture of the ankle during Penrith's NRL preliminary final against Newcastle at Accor Stadium, according to Guardian Rugby League.

The Panthers star was taken to hospital following the injury, which occurred in the 36th minute of the match.

Cleary was hurt in a tackle involving Newcastle hooker Phoenix Crossland, who was sent off for a hip-drop tackle on the Penrith halfback, as Guardian Rugby League reports.

The dismissal was described as a potentially defining moment of the finals series, with Crossland's early exit leaving Newcastle to play a significant portion of the preliminary final a man down.

For Penrith, the injury carries consequences well beyond Accor Stadium. Cleary will miss the World Cup as a result of the fracture, according to the report.

The severity of the injury means Cleary's involvement in whatever remains of Penrith's campaign this season is now in serious doubt, with a compound fracture of the ankle typically requiring surgery and an extended recovery period.

Cleary has been the Panthers' first-choice halfback through their recent finals campaigns, and his absence would represent a significant blow to the club's hopes of progressing further in September.

Further details on the extent of the injury, and on Newcastle's response to Crossland's sending off, are expected to emerge as the match and its aftermath are reviewed by the NRL.

Attention now turns to how Penrith manage the closing stages of their finals series without their first-choice number seven, and to what the injury means for his participation in the World Cup later this year.