The Penrith Panthers halfback didn’t look right, but improved in the second-half during State of Origin.
Laurie Daley is being questioned for playing Nathan Cleary after he was hampered with a groin injury in a poor display during Queensland’s 26-24 State of Origin Game 2 win in Perth with an ‘obvious’ change called out. NSW were looking to seal the series at Optus Stadium having completely dominated Queensland in Game 1.
Although an inspired Maroons team, led by new captain and player-of-the-match Cameron Munster, tore the Blues apart in the first-half in the pouring rain. Billy Slater’s side scored four tries to one in the first 40 and immediately question marks hovered above Cleary.
The Penrith Panthers halfback avoided the long kicks in the first few moments and Cleary handed over the kicking duties to Zac Lomax after Brian To’o scored in the corner. This immediately prompted questions over whether Cleary was 100 per cent fit as he was sporting a compression brace on his right thigh.
And Cleary’s first 40 minutes ended in chaos with a number of loose passes handed over possession to Queensland as he failed to link-up with Jarome Luai and control the game. NSW made a second-half comeback having scored five tries to four, but only made one conversion in the night to continue their woes from Game 1
But Cleary and Luai’s influence was once against questioned with two minutes to go. With the Blues attacking the line, Connor Watson scooped up the ball from dummy-half and passed the ball to the blindside.
The pass was poor and went through Lomax’s hands to end what would have been the greatest comeback in State of Origin history. However, there were question marks over Cleary and Luai’s control over the game and why they didn’t demand the ball left.
Queensland great Cameron Smith admitted he felt Cleary’s first 40 minutes was baffling to watch. “I don’t think he’s been right all night,” Smith said during Channel Nine commentary. After the game coach Daley admitted Cleary was struggling slightly in the captain’s run, but they just wanted to limit his long-kicking.
Nathan Cleary’s ‘obvious’ Origin change raises doubts
On Thursday morning, Penrith legend Greg Alexander was unaware Cleary was carrying an apparent injury into the game. However, he suggested Daley and NSW felt Cleary was obviously fit enough to play with the halfback getting more involved in a better second-half display, which showed glimpses of his elite talent.
He did kick the ball 14 times last night. If there was that much of a concern about it, he wouldn’t have done any kicking.” Alexander said on SEN Radio. After Alexander admitted the second-half display did raise eyebrows.
“That doesn’t make sense, if you are carrying an injury that all of a sudden you find your feet in the second half,” Brandy said questioning if Cleary was that hampered. Reporter Michael Carayannis claimed Cleary’s improvement from the second-half to the first 40 was baffling to wrap your head around.
“It was obvious that, watching Nathan from the first half, compared to the second half, it seemed different,” he added. But commentator Andrew Voss claimed maybe Cleary just isn’t in the best form heading into State of Origin in 2025. “Unpopular opinion, perhaps it’s the fact Nathan is not having a good year. He is not at his 2023 grand final best,” Voss added.
While there is debate over how impacted Cleary was heading into Game 2, both Daley and the halfback will face plenty of questions. The first 40 minutes will raise plenty of doubt in the NSW camp with Luai and Cleary not clicking again in Origin.
Laurie Daley calls out NSW performance
Daley confirmed after Wednesday’s loss that his No.7 was slightly hampered, but claimed he was never in doubt to take to the field. “He just felt a bit tight in his groin, so we wanted to limit the amount of force he put in there,” Daley said.
He is a tough kid, Nathan. We know what a quality player he is, but he is tough. His groin was tight but he got through okay.”
But Daley also admitted the team just dropped off after scoring the first try, but conceding four straight in the opening-half. “I’ve got to take responsibility, because we started well (with the first try), but the first half wasn’t great,” Daley said. “So I’ve got to look at what I’ve done, because something isn’t right.”
Phil Gould’s call backfires on Jarome Luai
Ahead of the game, NSW great Phil Gould claimed Luai’s inclusion alongside Cleary would benefit the team with Mitchell Moses ruled out “It’s got to make them stronger, it’s got to make them better under pressure. Technically and theoretically, it will make them stronger to have that combination,” he said on Channel 9.
While it wasn’t a swipe at Moses, but Gould felt the combination would benefit NSW. However, there are now question marks over Luai and Cleary together considering the pair have now lost four of their last five games together in the Origin arena.
