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PENRITH star Nathan Cleary is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a knee injury.
The 20-year-old has been sidelined since late March with a Grade 3 MCL tear and was pencilled in for a 10 week recovery but he’s responded to treatment better than expected.
“Hopefully about four weeks,” Cleary told Triple M Saturday NRL of his return to the field.
“Aiming for about round 11, if I’m lucky round 10.
“I’m going to have to play it week by week and hopefully start running by the end of (this) week and we’ll see how we go.
“… I got on the Alter G — that’s the gravity treadmill and had a run on that and at the end of the week get back to normal running.”
Eyeing off an early return, Cleary’s comeback will put him into contention for NSW State of Origin selection.
His Panthers teammate James Maloney is considered a walk-up start for the Blues and Cleary admits he still holds out hope of making his Origin debut in the series opener.
“I definitely have hopes,” he said.
“I’m not thinking about that too much at the moment.
“It’s getting this injury right and working my way back in the team but if it does come down the track I’d take it on and really enjoy that challenge.”
The 20-year-old has been sidelined since late March with a Grade 3 MCL tear and was pencilled in for a 10 week recovery but he’s responded to treatment better than expected.
“Hopefully about four weeks,” Cleary told Triple M Saturday NRL of his return to the field.
“Aiming for about round 11, if I’m lucky round 10.
“I’m going to have to play it week by week and hopefully start running by the end of (this) week and we’ll see how we go.
“… I got on the Alter G — that’s the gravity treadmill and had a run on that and at the end of the week get back to normal running.”
Eyeing off an early return, Cleary’s comeback will put him into contention for NSW State of Origin selection.
His Panthers teammate James Maloney is considered a walk-up start for the Blues and Cleary admits he still holds out hope of making his Origin debut in the series opener.
“I definitely have hopes,” he said.
“I’m not thinking about that too much at the moment.
“It’s getting this injury right and working my way back in the team but if it does come down the track I’d take it on and really enjoy that challenge.”