Eagle-eyed footy fans have spotted a cheeky tactic from Bulldogs man Matt Burton during Nathan Cleary’s conversion on Thursday night.
The Panthers began the night by honouring Cleary with a special jersey and ceremonial walkout onto the pitch for his 200th game for the club.
But it proved to be a disappointing evening for the 28-year-old halfback as his side were beaten 32-16 in a shock upset at the Accor Stadium.
The Bulldogs raced into a 16-0 lead after just 23 minutes, before the Panthers recovered to level up the scores in the early stages of the second half thanks to a try from Thomas Jenkins.
Cleary then stepped up to give his side a two-point advantage, but agonisingly struck the post with his kick.
And some viewers were quick to point to Burton’s actions as the reason why Cleary failed to find the target.
The Bulldogs’ five-eighth could be seen throwing another ball in the air three times during Cleary’s process.
The last of those came just moments before Cleary connected with the ball and missed the conversion.
Many have assumed this was a cynical act to distract Cleary — who had scored his two conversions in the first half.
Cameron Don-Duncan said: “Technically illegal. I’ve always thought the conceding team should wait on the half way line personally.”
Wiegold Gordon added: “I have no doubt Matt Burton knew exactly what he was doing here trying to get in Cleary’s head. It worked.”
Matt reacted: “Dogs fan. I don’t love it. S**t sportsmanship.”
While Close Account replied: “Very poor from Burton, not in the spirit of the game.”
Burton’s crafty act was not the only surprising story to come out of the Bulldogs’ win over the Panthers.
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary was seen making a lewd gesture to a Bulldogs fan while he watched the game in the stands.
It is understood the NRL is aware of the footage but it’s unlikely Cleary will face a sanction over the incident.
The Panthers are aware of the incident and won’t be making a comment. News.com.au has contacted the NRL for comment.
It is not the first time Cleary has had a fiery interaction with opposition supporters.
In 2020, he blew a kiss to a Wests Tigers fan following a Penrith win.
The Panthers’ defeat to the Bulldogs means the Wests Tigers, Knights, and Rabbitohs can all join them on 10 points at the top of the table with victories this weekend.
The Wests Tigers and Knights face off against one another in a blockbuster clash on Sunday afternoon, while the Rabbitohs take on the Raiders on Saturday.
