Tears flow on both sides as 12-man Knights hang on after Cleary’s horror injury

September 27, 2026 — 6:57pm

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An eerie silence descended over Accor Stadium on Sunday as Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary lay in agony on the turf, knowing his leg was busted.

Fans from both teams knew the seriousness of what had just happened. If only they knew what was to come.

This was undoubtedly Penrith’s saddest finals match. It ended with Andrew Johns in tears, unable to contain his emotions in the Channel Nine commentary box, and his brother, Matthew, also wiping away tears on Fox Sports.

The result – a 22-14 Newcastle win – was as dramatic as you could script.

Kalyn Ponga slumped to his knees at full-time, on the tryline he and his mates had so valiantly defended, after watching Sandon Smith’s amazing intercept try on the final play of the game. He also burst into tears as the Knights qualified for their first NRL grand final in a quarter of a century.

Smith was the hero, conjuring a sensational quick tap for a game-defining try in the 58th minute when Penrith were napping. You could only imagine what was going on in the pubs of Newcastle at that moment.

Penrith’s devastation was exacerbated by the fact the heartbeat of their side – and, in many ways, the rugby league community of........

© Brisbane Times