Nathan Cleary stuns Brisbane Broncos with Grand Final flashback try
The Penrith Panthers superstar displayed his damaging best on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium as he guided his side to a thumping 32-8 win.
But in scenes that would have left Broncos fans far and wide suffering PTSD, Cleary produced an eerily similar try to the one that tore the hearts out of Brisbane during the 2023 NRL Grand Final.
Cleary took the ball at first receiver on the left with five Brisbane defenders all sliding before he stepped inside and went past Adam Reynolds with ease to cross and score.
The try was a carbon copy of his heroics in the dying stages of the Grand Final that secured the win for the Panths.
'That's grand final like, that was the last try of the grand final,' Andrew Johns said of the Magic Round try.
Billy Slater added: 'That's identical'.
Fans watching on couldn't quite believe the heroics Cleary was once again producing against the Broncos.
One Brisbane fan wrote: 'Nathan Cleary will always Own us. You don't understand how much hate I have for that man.'
Another NRL fan added: 'Nathan Cleary rents space in the Broncos head. Plays games with them.'
Multiple fans also made reference to Cleary channelling Michael Jordan anytime he lines up against Brisbane.
NRL Immortal Andrew Johns was glowing in his praise of Cleary and his display on Sunday.
'He's been a 10 out of 10 today,' Johns said.
'That early kick then he went down and smashed Cobbo, this could really be turning point in the Panthers season. He has just dragged them along.'
On the eve of Origin selection, Cleary had a hand in everything as he booted the Broncos off the park.
'He's got that in him doesn't he and it's this time of year where those players start to rise. Credit to him, he played a good game,' Broncos coach Michael Maguire conceded.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary added: 'It was good to see him play well, I feel like he's been playing well anyway but as a team we just weren't clicking together and functioning as well as we could but we're still trying to find our way too.'
Premiership-winning playmaker Braith Anasta said it was Cleary who broke the game open and ultimately decided the result.
'Cleary, he's one of the greats and today he really delivered. Throughout that first 40 minutes he had some magic touches, he changed the game with some big plays and it was great to see him back, smiling, playing some good footy and leading this team around with absolute class,' Anasta said on Fox League.
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