Penrith Panthers say Nathan Cleary should avoid ban after hit on Hugo Savala in NRL qualifying win over Sydney Roosters

A defiant Ivan Cleary insists his superstar son Nathan should not face a ban for dangerous contact, after the Penrith star went from villain to hero in the Panthers’ 19-12 finals win over the Sydney Roosters .

In a cracking Sunday afternoon qualifying final, Cleary was sin-binned for collecting Hugo Savala’s leg before breaking a 12-12 deadlock with a late field goal at CommBank Stadium.

Adding to the drama, the Penrith No.7 also injured his foot in the process of landing the dropkick, seeking the attention of trainers before opting out of taking the conversion attempt after Brian To’o’s late try.

The result means the Roosters will host Cronulla in a do-or-die semi-final on Saturday night, while Penrith are one win away from their sixth grand final in seven years.

But all eyes will be on the NRL’s charge sheet on Monday, with Cleary anxiously awaiting what sanction he will face for crashing into Savala’s leg after the Roosters player kicked in the first half.

The Panthers star immediately gave a worried look, before referee Gerard Sutton told him his action had “force”, was “very dangerous” and “carried a high risk of injury”.

“He’s just trying to make a play. He’s probably thinking the right thing there,” coach Ivan Cleary said.

“The angle was wrong and under the current rules it’s probably the right call.

“The same thing happened to him down the other end under the posts early in the game, but anyway.”

If Nathan Cleary was to receive a grade-two dangerous contact charge on Monday, the game’s best player would be facing a ban from the preliminary final with an early plea.

Should he elect to challenge the charge, he would risk being rubbed out of the grand final if found guilty.

A grade-one charge would only attract a fine for Cleary, and prove a massive boost in Penrith’s bid for a fifth premiership of their dynasty.

Asked if he felt the halfback deserved a ban over the contact, Ivan Cleary said: “God no. Of course not.

“He just got the wrong angle. It’s one of those rules that has come in over the past couple of years and sometimes in the heat of the battle you forget.