The Penrith coach made a number of contentious moves early in the season that are starting to pay off.
Some of Ivan Cleary’s controversial early-season selection decisions are starting to pay off for the Penrith Panthers – particularly the axing of young gun Casey McLean. The Panthers won their sixth game in a row on Friday night, adding more misery for South Sydney in a 30-10 thrashing.
McLean had one of the best games of his young career, scoring two tries and setting up another for Dylan Edwards. The 19-year-old had seven tackle breaks and a line-break, and scored a stunning solo try in the second half in which he beat four Rabbitohs defenders on his way to the line.
The teenager has seemingly cemented his spot in the Panthers’ back-line after some hot-and-cold form at the start of the season saw him axed to reserve grade twice. McLean made his Test debut for New Zealand at the end of last year, and many thought he’d walk into the Panthers’ first-grade side in 2025.
But he started the season with some patchy form, and coach Cleary showed him some tough love by sending him back to NSW Cup. McLean had a three-week stint in reserve-grade between Rounds 9 and 11, and it’s proven to be a masterstroke from Cleary.
The coach sent McLean a message that he shouldn’t be taking his spot in first-grade for granted, and it’s paying off in spades. Since returning in Round 12 against Newcastle, the 19-year-old hasn’t missed a beat and has been in superb form over the last month.
Speaking last month, the Kiwi international revealed Nathan Cleary’s words of wisdom that kept him on track after being axed. “He just says it’s a journey. Not everything’s going to be highs, so you’ve got to ride the lows as well,” McLean said. “It’s just all learning, you can’t take things as negatives. You’ve got to take everything as a positive, find ways to improve, move forward.”
Ivan Cleary’s selection masterstrokes paying off
Ivan Cleary’s brutal call to axe McLean in Round 9 has proven a masterstroke, as he’s come back into first-grade on an absolute tear. And it’s not the only selection decision he’s got exactly right.
Cleary copped some criticism early in the season when he predominantly kept off-season recruit Blaize Talagi in reserve-grade until Round 6. But that too has proven a genius move as it sent a message to the young five-eighth that he had to earn his spot. While Talagi didn’t have his best game in attack on Friday night, he produced one of his better defensive displays.
Cleary’s decision to show faith in Thomas Jenkins has also paid off, with the winger having the best year of his career. And Isaiah Papalii had his best game in Panthers colours on Friday night after Cleary moved him into the middle – a decision that also proved controversial when fans couldn’t work out why he wasn’t playing second-row.
On Friday night, fans were in awe of McLean’s performance, and they can thank coach Cleary for lighting a fire under him. “CASEY McLEAN just keeps getting better and better with each game,” wrote Peter Lang of the Western Weekender.
Fellow journalist Ray Gatt wrote: “How good is Casey McLean? Future superstar.” While a fan commented: “Dylan Edwards absolute freak tonight and Casey McLean keeps getting better, on to the next.”
