How can anyone say that the half back that has led his side to 4 straight grandfinal wins and one of them almost single handedly cannot play Origin Football.
Up until last night he had played 16 games witha 50% win record. He doesn't need to be defended as the best player in the world (I am no Cleary fan as a person) his record proves he is. His coaches for NSW (forget last year he was out) have been pretty ordinary and Meninga at a National level does/did him no service.
It can only be dumb Parramatta fans that would always blame the half back when the forwards provide no platform.
The answer is simple Laurie Daley was completely out of his depth. He coached this side from world beaters in round 1 to nothings in round 3. He just does not get how the modern game has changed since he played. That's a reflection on him and the NSW process, not the game.
His interchange use last night was disgraceful, his understanding of how the game would be refereed was also total naiveity. Klein managed the game in round 2 and now come round 3 just left the game to its own devices. Qld played with lightening play the balls and laid all over the NSW ruck, basically discounting any play the ball speed NSW could garner. They finally woke up to that in the last 20 minutes and guess what, they were pretty even through that period.
Get over it, I'm a NSW supporter and we were completely outsmarted and out coached.
Replies
Titans. TITTB.
I was talking about Origin and the old school game plan, such as it was. You took the first sentence and went on a diatribe about BA bashing. Sheesh.
Cleary is not why we lost, he didn't play well though also you saw on his first 3 kicks and many after he just got the ball away off his foot before defender reached him. The forwards were poor laying the platform. Having Max King, who I forgot played, didn't work.
He has time to prove his worth in Origin and is a terrific Halfback. Plus he will be picked in 2026 no matter what people think. Just hasn't clicked for him.
He should get called out for poor performance but the make up of the team was not there.
Though in hindsight is it coincidental that today many Halfbacks hit their prime around 29-30? Cleary is 27.
Reece Robson is a decent defensive 9 but the difference in class between the 9s was huge. Qld laid in the ruck every time nsw got a quick play the ball. All Robson had to do was fall over the guy in the ruck and he would of got a penalty. If you're going to have someone like Watson on the bench, than you need to pick API Korisau. I thought the only reason they pick Robson was because he was an 80 minute 9. Sure Laurie Daley is a deer in headlights but surely Bellamy had some say in what we were doing last night,
AE i agree, though Koroisau is getting older he is still the best Hooker for NSW until hopefully someone can take over. Blayke Brailey is possibly the next best Hooker but is similar to Robson.
Hopefully Da Silva takes over from Koroisau in future ahahaha
Tactilly during the match management I could see Daley watching like a spectator and his assistant talking to the field management. I suspect Bellamey was more a coaching consultant in the lead up.
Cleary is not the only reason why NSW lost, but he's never been a big factor in NSW winning.
Don't get me wrong, he's a great player and is godly at the club level, but he just hasn't been able to stand out at the origin level.
Also a half's job is to control the side, but instead of directing our clunky attack, Cleary was tackled on 4th numerous times last night. Everyone rightly criticised Nicho Hynes for doing that so why would Cleary get a pass?
Exactly. Our 4th and 5th tackle options were horrendous. Fattrell kicking on the third when it was stil 0-0 was laughable. No one from NSW knew it was coming. Luai first kick easily taken on the full in the in goal. And, as you say, Cleary getting caught with the ball in hand late in the set far too many times.
Cleary got little protection when he kicked. Its hard to own a origin game like a club game,
I wonder if the coach for NSW is not star struck by Cleary and in turn does not get the direction he requires. His father would be coaching indirectly in these games as well.
I agree halfbacks do get a raw deal when a team loses but in saying that criticism is also well warranted... origin is a different beast ... it's not like club games where you have all the room in the world or every game you play the ref allows your team only to get away with things as the opposition is cellar dwellers . It's about rising above and dominating or giving the rest of the team room to attack etc .
Cleary hasn't risen above in origin with the constraints of not being in a dominant side or marshalling his team to great heights ... that's why he is not a origin halfback not that he cannot play
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