Footy fans are slammed for disgusting act after Nathan Cleary was smashed in shocking collision – but all is not as it seems

Nathan Cleary may have won four straight premierships but he has earned little respect in Melbourne after Storm fans hit him with a very unsavoury act in their grand final rematch on Thursday night. 

The Storm claimed a 30-24 victory at AAMI Park to gain some redemption for losing the 2024 decider  to the Panthers.

However, they were made to work for it, despite the Panthers coming into the match without injured fullback Dylan Edwards and having to do without Cleary for most of the match.  

Penrith lost Cleary to concussion after just seven minutes when he came off second best against Storm No.7 Jahrome Hughes when the pair collided off the ball in a spectacular clash. 

He left the field after just seven minutes and was ruled to have a category 1 concussion, preventing him from returning to the action.

As Cleary was walking from the field, sections of AAMI Park booed and jeered the NSW and Australian halfback, earning plenty of criticism from other NRL supporters.

Cleary struck his head on the ground after a spectacular airborne clash with Melbourne Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes (pictured)

The Penrith playmaker was jeered and booed by sections of the crowd at AAMI Park

‘They were not booing Cleary’s head injury. They were booing Nathan jumping up and ‘seemingly’ trying to block the Storm playing and then Hughes getting injured in the ribs,’ one fan posted.

‘Melbourne fans are grubs. To boo Cleary for a head injury is disgusting,’ fumed another.

‘Bloke was injured from a collision that wasn’t even a penalty, couldn’t even stand up, yet the local fans wanna boo him … that’s a s*** go regardless of which team you support,’ posted another.

While Melbourne fans were called into question for their boos and jeers, they may not have been aimed at Cleary directly.

Plenty of Storm and NRL fans were left puzzled by the fact the Panthers earned the penalty despite Cleary appearing to initiate the contact with Hughes.

‘They were not booing Cleary’s head injury. They were booing Nathan jumping up and ‘seemingly’ trying to block the Storm playing and then Hughes getting injured in the ribs,’ one fan posted. 

‘Cleary, in front of the ball, missed it and no chance of playing it, puts his hip in the face of Hughes, who has a legitimate chance of winning the ball, and impedes him. Yet, is inexplicably given the penalty,’ added another.

‘Cleary past the ball and then jumps into Hughes and illegally takes him out yet somehow Penrith get the penalty?’ questioned another.

Some footy fans questioned why Harry Grant wasn’t penalised for a late shot on Jack Cole

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was proud of his young side’s resolve after losing Cleary to concussion

Others said it was Melbourne Storm hooker Harry Grant that should have been penalised for his hit on Penrith five-eighth Jack Cole.

‘Booing Cleary but the grubbiest act in that whole play was Harry Grant driving the shoulder in to the lower back when Jack Cole was already tackled,’ a footy fan pointed on social media platform X. 

Despite the result, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said he was ‘proud’ of his side’s performance.

‘There’s lots of things that we sort of didn’t help ourselves throughout the game,’ he said.

‘There’s clearly a lack of cohesion at times, which is understandable.

‘But I thought from a cultural point of view, I thought they were very brave.

‘I thought the boys couldn’t have tried any harder.’