Nathan Cleary produced an absolute Magic Round masterclass, complete with a classic try that evoked memories of his 2023 NRL grand final match-winner.
Just before half-time against the Broncos on Sunday, Cleary caught the ball close to the Broncos line, then stepped off his left a couple of times and angled back in-field through a yawning gap.
Several Broncos players, including skipper Adam Reynolds, were unable to stop the game’s best player.
TV commentators, and the fans sitting inside Suncorp Stadium and watching at home, would have felt a sense of déjà vu, given Cleary produced something eerily similar, against the same opposition – and against Reynolds – in the 77th minute of the decider a couple of years ago.
Even Cleary himself started to think about that wonderful night not long after he had scored.
“As I scored, ‘Dyl’ [Dylan Edwards] came up to me and said, ‘I’ve seen that before’,” Cleary said. “It’s different circumstances, but it was nice.”
Coach Ivan Cleary added: “Watching it from the same position, that was a good moment. It was good to see him play well. I feel like he’s been playing well anyway. As a team, we haven’t been clicking together as well as we can.”
Nathan was in a serious mood and sent a message to the rest of the NRL that he and his Panthers are not to be under-estimated.
The Panthers’ premiership hopes were on life support before they arrived in the Queensland capital after registering just two wins from their opening eight games.
But they survived a string of sets midway through the first half against the Broncos, then grew in confidence before Cleary inspired the 32-8 triumph.
The Penrith No. 7 was excellent against Brisbane.Credit: Getty Images
Cleary kicked a 40/20 that led to a try for impressive young prop Luron Patea. He put through a lovely chip kick for Izack Tago to score. He even had a hand in Tom Jenkins first try early in the second half.
When Cleary’s face was beamed on the big screen before kick-off, a chorus of boos rung out around the ground.
At some stage on their way home on Sunday night, those Queenslanders in the stands would have realised the next time they see Cleary, it will be in the NSW sky blue for Origin I in a few weeks. Good luck with that one.
The Broncos’ defeat, for what it is worth, also completed an embarrassing Magic Round wipeout for the Queenslanders after the Titans, Cowboys and Dolphins also lost. Ditto, the womens’ Maroons Origin team.
Dylan Edwards kept the NSW No.1 debate alive with an excellent outing, while Blaize Talagi looks like he is settling into life in the halves along side the best player of the modern era.
Cleary said of Edwards and the debate about him potentially losing his NSW No.1 jersey to rival James Tedesco: “Dyl showed last year how good he is [on the Origin arena], and he showed it again today on a pretty big stage. It felt like he was everywhere tonight. There were times Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt would put in early kicks, and Dyl would come out of nowhere and save the day. He was definitely at his best.”
The Broncos had no answers when trying to stop 27-year-old Cleary. Kotoni Staggs did his best to smash him into the turf with an excellent tackle in the first half, but Cleary dusted himself off and kept going.
As long as Cleary stays fit, Penrith can never be written off.
The Broncos blew yet another chance to prove they are the real deal. On paper, they have one of the best teams in the premiership, but you never know what you are going to get. The big talking point at Red Hill this week will be whether to rush Ezra Mam back into the NRL side, or give him some time in reserve grade.
In a minor consolation for Reynolds, he moved to 2420 points, two clear of Canterbury legend Hazem El Masri, to become the second top points-scorer of all time behind Cameron Smith (2786).
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