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7NEWS
10-07-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Fans turn on Penrith champ Nathan Cleary after State of Origin shocker
A 'shattered' Nathan Cleary concedes his doubters are right to question his track record at State of Origin level, admonishing himself for letting the state of NSW down in the decider. As his opposite number Tom Dearden ran riot in a man-of-the-match performance, Cleary struggled to pull the Blues into the contest in Wednesday night's stunning 24-12 loss to Queensland. 'Shattering to be honest,' a forlorn Cleary said at full-time. 'I feel terrible. It's just so frustrating. I've been here before and it happened again. It sucks,' 'I didn't adjust quick enough to their rushing defence and it played into their hands a little bit.' Despite guiding Penrith to a historic four consecutive premierships, Cleary has long been dogged by criticism of his ability to deliver in pressure moments for the Blues. On Wednesday night, Cleary passed Mitchell Pearce and Andrew Johns to become NSW's most-capped halfback but has won only eight of his 17 matches for the state. Of his most recent seven, Cleary has claimed victory in only two, among them a dominant Game II win in Perth in 2022. Cleary was the starting halfback for all three games of the 2020 series, when the Maroons won with a team branded their worst in history by sections of the Sydney press. He guided NSW to series wins in 2018 and 2021 with victories in the first two games of those series but has now lost both of the Game III deciders in which he has played. Unquestionably the leading halfback of his generation, Cleary conceded it was fair to criticise him for not yet having delivered in the Origin arena. 'At the end of the day, I haven't,' the 27-year-old said. 'I'm the harshest marker of myself anyway so I don't really think that what other people say is out of line because I probably think that of myself anyway. 'At the end of the day, you just feel like you've let down the boys that you play with and the state obviously. 'That's what hurts the most. I let down myself and my own high standards. It's frustrating.' Fans turned on Cleary after and during the game on Wednesday, with many mocking the champ with unpublishable comments. 'Luai is an easy target for those that don't know footy. If he had partnered a fit Mitch Moses, NSW would have repeated. It's time to admit that Nathan Cleary is a great player in club land only,' one fan said on social media. And another: 'Nathan Cleary is a myth. Good player in a great Panthers team. Origin level shows where he is as an individual.' And another: 'Unpopular opinion but Nathan Cleary is a system halfback.' Another said: 'It's time to admit that Nathan Cleary is a great player in club land only.' And another: 'Don Bradman made 28,000 runs at state level. Imagine if he never measured up at the highest level, never scored a run in The Ashes. That's Nathan Cleary in State of Origin.' Another said: 'Nathan Cleary is a champion. There's not many in history who could've done what he did in 2023. But can people, Panthers fans in particular, stop acting as though he's this underrated Origin great? He's never proven himself in a consequential game on that stage.' Cleary said it was tough to realise that he would need to wait until next year for another chance at righting the wrongs. 'That's what's sinking in now,' he said. 'I just want to play again but that's not how it works. It's much like a grand final I guess. It's the biggest game of all and if you lose it you've got to wait another whole year to get back there. 'I think it's about just growing from it, not trying to kick stones.' Penrith and NSW teammate Brian To'o said it was natural for Cleary to be down on himself after the series, which the Blues led 1-0 before dropping two straight games. 'I'd obviously be worried if he wasn't feeling that way but that's just the way he is. I know he'll definitely come back stronger,' he said. 'That's what makes 'Clez' a great player. He's always looking to keep getting better. I know that 'Clez' is definitely going to note this down and hopefully dominate next year.'
7NEWS
09-07-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Tiger makes wild prediction for State of Origin decider
The NSW Blues are hot favourites to win Wednesday night's State of Origin decider at Accor Stadium, but not everyone is on the same page. Bookies and experts are all tipping a comprehensive NSW victory, despite Queensland's Game II win in Perth to keep the series alive last month. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The Blues have plenty of stars with big-game experience to call on, with players in the team featuring in 64 NRL grand finals and Origin deciders between them, combining for 45 wins. In comparison, the Maroons have 46 of those games between them for just 26 wins. But coach Billy Slater has picked a side with plenty of X-factor and, of course, there's Cameron Munster, who was inspirational in Game II and will be out to honour his late father after his dad's recent death. Queensland's Origin history is also built out of unlikely wins and members of sides that won deciders in 2017, 2020 and 2022 remain in the team. Slater has also been quick to point out in recent weeks that history means little, as the Maroons try to win two games on the road after being 1-0 down for the first time. As for the slightly biased crew at the Dreamworld Tiger Island in Queensland, well, they decided to ask one of their 'wisest team members', Adira the tiger, for a prediction (and yes, we do accept that it's an obvious PR stunt). So, it comes as a complete shock to absolutely no one, Adira has confidently predicted a Queensland win (watch the video). Hmmm ... wonder what all the tigers in NSW think about that. Slater admitted during the week that NSW) was a 'great team'. 'We're not disrespectful to that, we're not naive to what they're going to bring,' he said. 'They're a wonderful footy team and they're playing at home. It's going to be tough. 'It's about our game, it's about the footy game. It's about what we can outlay and what we can control.'
