Penrith Panthers great and current Deputy Chairman Greg Alexander spoke about Nathan Cleary, who is recovering after his second surgery.
Cleary was carrying a "stress-related bone issue" in his right foot before the preliminary final against the Newcastle Knights.
He started the match on the interchange bench and went on the field with around 15 minutes remaining in the first half.
Cleary was then stretchered off the field and was given the green whistle before being taken off.
At the time of the game, it was reported as a double fracture of his tibia and fibula in addition to a compound fracture.
Reports after the Panthers' loss to the Knights indicated that the leg fracture was the worst the club has ever seen.
Initially reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, Cleary would need a six-month recovery timeline.
After last Wednesday's board meeting and an update from the club physio, Pete Green, Alexander clarified the true nature of Cleary's injury compared to what has been reported.
“In terms of Nathan, the reporting kept saying it was a double fracture,” Alexander explained on SEN's Kick Off.
“It wasn't a double fracture. So, the two bones in your legs, fibula and tibia. Tibia is the big one. Fibula is the narrower bone.
“He broke the fibula, the smaller bone.
“That wasn't where the compound fracture came. The pressure on the tibia, which wasn't broken, so it wasn't a double fracture.
“It pushed the tibia, and it came out his ankle. His ankle came out.
“So, they showed the ankle bone just popped through the skin because of the pressure put on the tibia. Tibia didn't break; no fracture in the tibia, which was fantastic news.
“So not a double fracture and not a compound [fracture] where the bone, the sharp bit of a bone, has come through the skin.”
Alexander also noted that Cleary ruptured his syndesmosis, which has caused his ankle to be pinned.
“So, syndesmosis ruptured, of course,” he continued.
“And (he) showed us an X-ray of the plate; the pins in the leg and the ankle was pinned, not the tightrope. We've spoken about the syndesmosis injury, so they couldn't tie it as per a normal syndesmosis, so they screwed it. So the two longer screws go through the ankle to keep the ankle bones together.
“So, in terms of the horrific injury that Nathan suffered, it was as good as could be expected without the double fracture.”
The injury comes at an interesting point in Cleary's career, given he's achieved everything possible, with the halfback recently winning the Dally M Medal.
While Cleary is expected to return at some point next season, the Panthers' halves depth remains very young outside of Cogger.
Blaize Talagi, initially signed to play five-eighth as Jarome Luai's replacement, found strong form playing centre on the right edge during the finals despite not being initially named in the squad before the qualifying final against the Sydney Roosters.
The former Eels talent injured his Achilles in the preliminary final against the Knights.
With Jett Cleary expected to head to the Panthers from the Warriors, the Western Sydney-based club are limited with just Jack Cogger in the halves with Nathan absent.
Keahan Skipps, who plays five-eighth, joined Penrith this season from the Canberra Raiders pathways and signed a three-year deal last year that finishes at the end of the 2028 season and will join the top 30 roster in 2027.
Blaize did his Achilles