'Attack the line': Legend's advice as Cleary puts legacy on the line
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NSW legend Geoff Toovey has urged Blues halfback Nathan Cleary to take the line on as he prepares for a legacy-defining State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium.
Cleary has been plagued by criticism of his performances in the Origin arena throughout his career and enters Wednesday’s match with an 0-3 record in deciders and a 9-10 overall winning record in the interstate contest.
The halfback starred in a historic comeback in Game One of this year’s series before struggling at the MCG as Queensland drew level with a comprehensive victory.
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Cleary and five-eighth Mitchell Moses found life difficult behind a beaten forward pack, with Toovey urging the halves to play more direct as they look to break down the Maroons defensive wall.
“I’d like to see Nathan and Mitchell attack the line more and run the ball,” Toovey told NRL.com. “Both are similar players but they’ve got it in their game to run the ball.
“They didn’t have the opportunity to do that in Game Two. With the way the game played out, it’s hard to criticise them or look too much into that but I hope they use their attacking skills to create opportunities for the players around them.”
The pain of last year’s Game Three loss remains fresh in Cleary’s mind heading into Wednesday’s match. NSW slumped to a 20-0 half-time deficit before going on to fall 24-12.
The defeat came after the Blues took a 1-0 series lead, only to lose Game Two in Perth and a decider on home turf.
Cleary has always been his own worst critic and that was clear in the wake of the crushing loss 12 months ago.
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“At the end of the day I haven't [owned an Origin series]," a devastated Cleary said after the loss last year. "I'm the harshest marker of myself so I don't think what other people say is out of line because I think that of myself anyway.
"You feel like you let down the boys you played with and the state, that's what hurts the most. I let down myself, my own high standards. It's frustrating."
It’s been a long 12 months to get back to this point for Cleary, who has spent the past year plotting his Origin redemption.
After the highs of the series opener, the halfback experienced similar disappointment following the Game Two defeat.
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The external criticism was fierce, but Cleary’s self-assessment of his own performance was just as harsh.
It’s a trend the playmaker's NSW and Penrith teammates have watched over the years, Cleary spending hours analysing what went wrong and identifying ways to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
So while the external debate around Cleary’s Origin legacy grows louder, Blues and Panthers skipper Isaah Yeo is confident the halfback has the answers to finally solve the decider equation.
“He doesn’t worry about other people’s opinions,” Yeo said. “He has a good understanding of his own game and what he feels in the moment. If he does that, he’s owning it and it allows him not to worry about what anyone else is saying externally.
“At the same time, there’s no one who prepares harder and is ready to go come game day than Nath. He’ll give himself every chance, like he does every week. He’s a wonderful player, wonderful teammate and wonderful friend.
“He does a good job of not listening to the external and just worrying about the people that matter. That’s him first, then his teammates and coaches and we all respect him and love playing alongside him.”
Given the success he’s had on the football field, Cleary has battled comparisons to Newcastle and NSW legend Andrew Johns throughout his career.
Just to be in the same conversation as a rugby league Immortal is a compliment in itself but it has also brought an elevated level of pressure for the playmaker.
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Johns’ iconic 2005 Origin performance was punctuated by a dominant Blues victory in a Suncorp Stadium decider. The match solidified the halfback’s legacy as an all-time great and has served as the benchmark for all future NSW playmakers to be measured against.
That, Toovey feels, is unfair but the 1996 Wally Lewis Medal winner recognises Wednesday’s match will have a big impact on how Cleary is ultimately remembered once he hangs up the boots.
“He’s used to pressure,” Toovey said. “He’s been in multiple grand finals, I don’t think pressure worries him. From what I’ve seen in the past, he’s a cool, collected individual.
“He’s won four grand finals, he knows his way around the park when the pressure is on. I’d like to see them attack a bit more and with confidence. Nathan and Mitch both have that in spades and I’m expecting to see that in Game Three.
“It’s hard to compare eras, they’re different times but Nathan can make millions of NSW fans very happy by putting his best foot forward and having a great game.”
Don't miss a minute of the action when Queensland and NSW collide in an epic State of Origin decider. Live on Channel 9, 9Now and Watch NRL, Wednesday July 8.
