Coach clearly enjoying what his Panthers are producing
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Ivan Cleary is just enjoying the ride as his Panthers side continue to hug the top of the table with the number of wins in 2020 moving into double digits.
The 42-12 mauling of the Manly Sea Eagles was their seventh in a row and 10th for the season so far.
"We're just trying to prepare well each week. I know it sounds boring but that's exactly what we're trying to do," Cleary said after a dominating performance at Lottoland.
"I understand we've set ourselves up for the season quite well but we're just enjoying it."
Some of that satisfaction comes from seeing his hooker and halfback reunited with Api Koroisau and Nathan Cleary back together after the Fijian international spent the past fortnight getting his left elbow right to play again.
Match Highlights: Sea Eagles v Panthers
Koroisau made 52 tackles to top the Panthers' count as well as contributing a try, a line break and making 30 metres in dummy-half runs.
He was back to torment his old Manly teammates and maybe make a few club officials squirm for not re-signing him and letting him get nabbed by his former club Penrith.
"I didn't expect him to be back to be honest but he was pretty keen," Cleary said.
"I definitely wasn't going to risk him but he presented so well and was pretty adamant that he was fine.
Classy Cleary kicks for himself
"I wanted to put our best team out there and he's in that."
Nathan Cleary had another exceptional game in controlled and calculated football.
He scored his fourth try of the year – another superb grubber kick that he chased and collected himself untouched.
He put together 22 kicks in total for 699 metres to keep the upper hand all night.
"I thought his kicking game was really good tonight. He stuck solid to the plan and was pretty active everywhere," the coach said.
Asked if Nathan's fifth NRL season was his best, he said: "Probably. It's a different role to what he's played before.
"To come into first grade as a young man – he's still a young man – but he understands his role better, understands the game better, has more time … he's having a good year."
