Ivan Cleary insists he ‘does not know’ why son Nathan was put on report during win over Brisbane

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary admitted he ‘did not know’ why his son Nathan was put on report during a commanding 40-12 demolition of the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night.

Cleary delivered a masterclass as the reigning premiers maintained their perfect start to the season with a sixth win in as many games and a 20th straight victory at home.

He now faces an anxious wait to see whether the NRL judiciary will take a dim view of his tackle on Billy Walters, which was put on report in the second half.

Penrith star Nathan Cleary was put on report for a tackle on Broncos five-eight Billy Walters

The Panthers star appeared used his leg as leverage to take Walters to the ground, as he tried to tackle the Broncos five-eight, who fell awkwardly as he went down.

The Penrith coach, however, wasn’t sure why his son had been cited by the referee. 

‘I don’t know what he was put on report for,’ he said.

‘It definitely wasn’t a hip-drop because it was a one man tackle. I don’t know the exact definition of a hip drop, but it is basically when someone is tackled and then […] I mean I don’t know. 

The Panthers gun was at his brilliant best against the Broncos, inspiring his side’s 40-12 win

‘It looked a bit awkward. Sometimes it happens. You don’t have to do something illegal for something to look awkward.’

Clearly wasn’t alone in being puzzled by the nature of the tackle and by the referee’s subsequent response.

‘That is not a hip-drop, a hip-drop is where your weight comes from behind and lands on the back of the legs of the player,’ Greg Alexander said on Fox League. 

Ivan Cleary insisted he did not know why his son was put on report against the Broncos 

Gorden Tallis echoed his colleague’s stance: ‘I don’t think that is classic [hip-drop] and because it is such a new tackle in our game that I don’t know how to grade them, but that doesn’t look like the classic hip drop that I have watched so far.

‘He has used his leg as leverage, you know to drag Billy [Walters] back over his leg.’

Speaking on Nine, however, Andrew Johns took a different view and hinted the Penrith gun could be in trouble with the judiciary.

‘You cannot put your legs around [a defender] like that,’ he said.