Nathan Cleary’s work ethic and ability to always “put his body in harm’s way” partly explains why he is last man standing when it comes to the NSW team that produced one of the greatest wet-weather victories by any rugby league side in 2019.
A quick look at the Blues’ team photo heading into game two at Optus Stadium six years ago shows Cleary as the only player who will feature at the same venue on Wednesday night.
James Maloney, Wade Graham, Dale Finucane, Blake Ferguson and Boyd Cordner have retired, Jack Wighton retired from representative football, while Tariq Sims and Paul Vaughan are now plying their trade in the Super League.
Cameron Murray is injured, while Jake and Tom Trbojevic, Josh Addo-Carr, Daniel Saifiti, Tyson Frizell, Damien Cook and James Tedesco are still in the NRL, but not featured for the Blues.
Coach Brad Fittler dropped Latrell Mitchell and Angus Crichton – two players who will be there with Cleary next Wednesday – after the game-one loss that year in Brisbane, only for the Blues to respond with a 38-6 drubbing of the Queenslanders. Tom Trbojevic scored three tries, while Fittler recalled Ferguson throwing a miraculous pass from the sideline to the middle of the field that led to one of ‘Turbo’s’ four-pointers.
Cleary played down his longevity, and was quick to point out he suffered a serious ankle injury in the first half before Graham and Maloney combined in the halves. He also hoped Wikipedia was not our source of Perth information, “because it lists me as Croatian, which I’m not”.
“I remember that game, but I wouldn’t call me the sole survivor, only because ‘Gus’ [Crichton] and ‘Trell’ [Latrell Mitchell] debuted the year before in 2018, so they’ve been here a long time as well,” Cleary said.
“That night was all about trying to bounce back from game one. Jimmy came in, we had a solid start, we got into our rhythm, and ‘Teddy’ [Tedesco] and Turbo were on fire.
“I went off about 10 minutes before half-time, and didn’t come back on. I did my ankle and my big toe. I missed a few weeks.
“But I am very grateful to still be here. It also doesn’t mean anything because you have to keep playing well if you want to keep the jersey – you have to go out and earn it every time.”
Nathan Cleary and Laurie Daley relax this week in the Blue Mountains.Credit: Sam Mooy
When asked to name the one player from that 2019 Perth game who will feature again for the Blues, Fittler said: “Don’t tell me. Let me guess. Was it Nathan? It doesn’t surprise me. I’ve always liked Nathan’s work ethic, and he always puts his body in harm’s way. Players enjoy playing with him for those very reasons.
“That night was one of the best performances I’ve seen by any team to win in the wet.”
Maloney had the club combination with Cleary, and revealed before the Perth game how he once asked his wife if he could redraw $100,000 from the mortgage to bet on super mare Winx. Queensland experienced high drama when Moses Mbye collapsed in the team hotel, two games before the game, after he went into anaphylactic shock, and had to be saved by Maroons doctor Matt Hislop.
Cleary was also a member of the victorious NSW side in Perth in 2022, with the Blues winning both games in the west by a combined margin of 82-18.
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