Source :- THE AGE NEWS
When Nathan Cleary ran onto Suncorp Stadium for State of Origin III, he did so as the most capped NSW halfback of all time.
Yet, it was only after walking off it, having orchestrated his first win in a decider at his fourth attempt, that he finally extinguished any lingering doubts about his place among the game’s greats.
The question has been emphatically answered.
“Embarrassed” by what he served up at the MCG, Cleary took it upon himself to be the difference when it mattered most. Two tries, an act of kleptomania to set up another and five goals in NSW’s 30-12 win to seal the series. Then the Wally Lewis Medal was hung around his neck.
If there were any critics remaining, they have been silenced.
With four premiership rings already in his keeping, there appeared little more for Cleary to achieve. If there was the slightest query, an asterisk on his resume, it was whether the Penrith halfback could leave a similar imprint on the interstate arena.
His first try provided a hint. Taking advantage of a quick play-the-ball, Cleary produced a right-foot step to cross the line. Then Cleary was the beneficiary of the work done by current and former Panthers teammates Liam Martin and Stephen Crichton as they combined with Mark Nawaqanitawase.
And when Cleary stole the ball off Selwyn Cobbo in the lead up to Cameron Murray’s try, every trick had been brought out of the bag.
Origin, like all the great theatrical productions, is a three-act play. The protagonists were introduced in Sydney’s opening scene, Melbourne was the backdrop as the conflict escalated, setting the scene for redemption behind enemy lines in the finale.
The Blues fluffed their lines in the opening encounters. In the first, they forgot to leave the sheds; in the second they were so intent on starting well that they forgot to finish. This, however, was a complete performance.
Cleary may have been the hero of the production, but the supporting cast played its part. The Blues most disappointing in their last outing – Cleary, Mitchell Moses and Payne Haas – were among the best when it mattered. The chemistry between Moses and Cleary was palpable. The Parramatta playmaker kicked the ball when NSW were in their own territory. If an attacking kick was required, it was Cleary’s turn to put boot to ball.
It meant that Ethan Strange, shaded only by Cleary as the best player on the field in Origin I, was catching a cold on the interchange bench until required to replace a concussed Jack Bostock.
Everything embattled coach Laurie Daley touched turned to gold. Bostock, on debut after the controversial axing of Brian To’o, more than handled the occasion until his premature exit. Murray scored shortly after being injected into the game. Maybe Daley knows how to work the interchange bench after all. And Martin, whether he was folding Jojo Fifita or roughing up Cameron Munster, made every Maroon wary of his presence.
There were casualties on both sides. James Tedesco, in what may be his Origin swansong, was knocked out of the contest right on half-time. Neither team finished with their starting custodians. Understudy fullback Reece Walsh, activated after a head-injury assessment for Sam Walker, got his first game time of the series. Behind and needing to chase points, the Brisbane star threw everything at the Blues. It wasn’t enough.
If Maroons forward Max Plath wasn’t a millimetre in front of the kicker in the lead up to Toia’s no try, things could have been very different.
It seemed fitting that, with the game on the line and the Queenslanders threatening one of their famous comebacks, Cleary provided his team with the buffer they needed. A difficult penalty goal was nailed, providing a 14-point advantage. That was enough.
And then the cherry on top. Playing until the very last seconds – usually a very Maroons trait – Hudson Young scored. One of the most unlikely victories of all had been secured.
For the second time in three years, NSW beat the Maroons in their own backyard in a decider. For Daley, it was his second series win with the clipboard since his first way back in 2014. Cleary, meanwhile, was named player of the match for the fourth time. Neither he nor Daley have anything left to prove.
