You better 𝘯𝘰𝘵 get a lawyer, son: Cleary thanks Dad for helping to beat ban

Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary thanked his father Ivan after the four-time premiership-winning coach successfully argued for him to have a high tackle charge downgrade at the NRL Judiciary on Monday night.

In a change from the usual trend of players and clubs hiring lawyers for judiciary hearings, Ivan Cleary represented Nathan and the panel took just 12 minutes to clear him to play in Round 1 after one of the shortest hearings in memory.

"He is already resting on his laurels now, I think, but it is definitely thank you to him," Nathan said.

'I am disappointed I had to put him through that little bit of extra work outside of his normal job, but I am grateful for his effort."

The last father to represent his son at a judiciary hearing is believed be the late Bob Fulton, one of rugby league's original Immortals, who was coaching Manly and acted on behalf of Scott Fulton in the 1990s.

Asked whose idea it was for his father to represent him, Nathan said: "I had no say in the matter. He was pretty confident.

"There were mixed thoughts because I think the last few times he has been to the judiciary it hasn't worked out too well but I trusted him and we thought we had a pretty good case, so I am glad the panel could see that as well".

The Kangaroos halfback successfully argued that a 38th minute tackle on Wests Tigers winger Heamasi Makasini in last Friday night's Pre-Season Challenge clash met the criteria for a Grade 1 rather than a Grade 2 charge. 

In doing so, Cleary escaped a three-game suspension and will instead pay an $1800 fine. The Panthers co-captain is free to play in his side's season-opener against the Broncos on March 6. 

After being forced to make a run to the finals from the bottom of the NRL ladder in Round 12 last season, Cleary said it was important to start well this season. 

"I am so excited for Round, I can't wait," Cleary said. "It is very important and not only that but you want to be playing in the big games and there is no bigger than Round 1 up in Brisbane.

"We do have a pretty tough draw to start the season I wanted to be a part of that and given last year's start I wanted to correct that as well."

The Panthers play the Broncos in the opening round followed by a trip to Bathurst to host the Sharks on March 14 and a clash with Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium on March 20.

Cleary will now be available for all three matches after a hearing that lasted just 50 minutes in total, with panel members Ryan James, the former Titans prop, and ex-referee Greg McCallum accepting his plea of guilty to a Grade 1 offence.

Summary of reasons for the decision

Judiciary Chair, The Honourable Geoffrey Bellew AM SC said in his summary of reasons that the panel felt there were four factors which supported the conclusion that a Grade 1 was appropriate.

• The first was that player Cleary had initially planted his feetprior to making contact.
• The second was that on the Panel’s analysis of the footage, any upward trajectory on the part of player Cleary occurred after contact had been made with the ball carrier.
• Thirdly, the Panel considered that the ball carrierjuggled the ball and simultaneously lowered his body heightshortly before contact was made, which had the effect of significantly altering the point of impact.
• Fourthly, the Panel were satisfied that the primary contact was player Cleary’s shoulder on the shoulder of the ball carrier.  

Taking all of these factors into account, the Panel determined that the appropriate grading was a Grade 1.

Judiciary recap

6.51pm: Nathan Cleary has been successful in his bid to have the high tackle charge downgraded from a Grade 2 to a Grade 1. The Panthers halfback will now pay an $1800 fine and is free to play in his side's season opener against Brisbane on March 6.

6.50pm: We are back after a 12-minute deliberation.

6.38pm: The hearing has now adjourned for the panel to deliberate.

6.34pm: Judiciary Chair Geoffrey Bellew SC is summarising the evidence of both sides before the panel of Ryan James and Greg McCallum adjourn to consider their verdict. If they are split in their decision, Bellew will use his casting vote to rule on the outcome of the hearing.

6.30pm: Cleary said there was no HIA from the trainer or independent doctor. “If there was moderate force you would expect there would be a HIA."

6.27pm: Cleary is now showing a series of still photos that he says show the first point of contact was not with the head.

“We are disputing direct contact with the head," Ivan said. "We feel the player did have an opportunity to protect himself and also he dropped his body height.

"The juggle was clearly apart of it. Nathan’s feet are planted on the ground."

6.24pm: Ivan Cleary is now summarising the Panthers defence. “We are seeking a downgrade so we are not completely absolving Nathan. 

"What I want to discuss is that the initial contact was right shoulder to right shoulder. There was then indirect contact."

6.23pm: Gyles said the level of force and upward movement made it “inevitable” that there would be contact with the head. “If someone comes out of the line with that acceleration and that level of force they need to be careful not to make contact with the head.”

6.21pm: “The recoil of the head is a good indicator of force and is consistent with a Grade 2 and not a Grade 1”, Gyles said.

6.20pm: The panel is being shown three camera angles that Gyles says show that Cleary rushed up to make the tackle because he didn’t want to be a “speed bump”.

6.16pm: NRL Legal Counsel Lachlan Gyles is now addressing the panel, outlining why the tackle received a Grade 2 charge. "The reason the tribunal will find it is a Grade 2 is the level of force," Gyles said. "He comes hard out of the line and continues his acceleration through the target. The level of force is not an entry level, low level.

"The second reason is the level of carelessness. By approaching the player at the speed player Cleary did, he did not have the ability to adjust.

"The third reason is the risk of injury. If the player had not slightly rotated his head there could have been facial injuries."

6.14pm: Nathan Cleary has commenced describing the incident. "I’m looking at him and he is looking at me, which I believe is why he juggled the ball," Cleary said. "I deliberately lowered my arm because if I didn’t, I believe I would have hit him in the head.

"I believe the contact was shoulder to shoulder. I also hit the ball and that’s why it was dislodged."

6.13pm: Ivan has called on Nathan to describe the incident. 

6.12pm: Ivan Cleary: We usually use a lawyer - Nick Ghabar - and will again but in this instance I thought it was best to give a bit of rugby league context.

6:08pm: The panel is watching replays of the 38th-minute incident in which Makasini juggles the ball before being hit high by Cleary.

5.40pm: Cleary has arrived at Rugby League Central for the hearing, and in an unusual move for players appearing before the judiciary in recent time, he will not be represented by a lawyer but his father and coach Ivan. The last player in memory to have been represented by their father at a judiciary hearing is believed to be Scott Fulton, whose father Bob was the Manly coach at the time. Cleary is also being supported by Panthers CEO Matt Cameron and Welfare Manager Shane Elford. 

Cleary will front a panel chaired by former Supreme Court judge Geoffrey Bellew SC and comprising of former player Ryan James and former referee Greg McCallum. 

The NRL will be represented by Lachlan Gyles SC.