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Nathan Cleary

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
I've been his biggest defender but it's definitely time to look closer and admit his faults.

He definitely has no vision and can't read the defence at all. He's a complete robot.

He REFUSES to kick in behind the line when the defence is rushing and has no attacking kicking game. For a guy who kicks as much as him and a halfback is unacceptable.

Either he's scared to back himself or he is just bad. I don't know.
 

Luke Bowden

First Grade
Messages
6,913
I've been his biggest defender but it's definitely time to look closer and admit his faults.

He definitely has no vision and can't read the defence at all. He's a complete robot.

He REFUSES to kick in behind the line when the defence is rushing and has no attacking kicking game. For a guy who kicks as much as him and a halfback is unacceptable.

Either he's scared to back himself or he is just bad. I don't know.

Oh good.

Another one of these threads.

Why not just continue bagging him on the “Is Cleary a Dud” thread.
 

Fangs

Coach
Messages
11,182
Looks like the Cleary narrative has come to an end. No longer the anointed one.

Has been self-evident for a long time that he can't play in the halves. We are stuck with him now and he is on a large chunk of the cap. Have to find a way to make him useful.
 

age.s

First Grade
Messages
6,920
He has some problems, but I don't agree at all that his attacking kicking game is nonexistant. He's been getting plenty of repeat sets this year and would have had more try assists if he'd had someone who gave a shit (ie Naden) chasing his grubbers for most of it. His bombs are terrifying and general kicking game is pretty good.

There certainly is something missing though. Feel like he needs to be a bit more dangerous running with the ball. His running instincts are pretty good but he just gets dealt with a bit too easily. I'm not sure you could strengthen that part of his game without weakening another though. If he bulked up a bit you might lose that insane fitness, which I'd mention resulted in 2 extraordinary try savers. If he'd served up two outstanding attacking moves and been invisible for the Tupou and Radley stops he'd have been praised despite him offering no more on the scoreboard.

Anyway, no point getting too worked up over him. He's not going anywhere, especially not when we're winning.
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
He has some problems, but I don't agree at all that his attacking kicking game is nonexistant. He's been getting plenty of repeat sets this year and would have had more try assists if he'd had someone who gave a shit (ie Naden) chasing his grubbers for most of it. His bombs are terrifying and general kicking game is pretty good.

There certainly is something missing though. Feel like he needs to be a bit more dangerous running with the ball. His running instincts are pretty good but he just gets dealt with a bit too easily. I'm not sure you could strengthen that part of his game without weakening another though. If he bulked up a bit you might lose that insane fitness, which I'd mention resulted in 2 extraordinary try savers. If he'd served up two outstanding attacking moves and been invisible for the Tupou and Radley stops he'd have been praised despite him offering no more on the scoreboard.

Anyway, no point getting too worked up over him. He's not going anywhere, especially not when we're winning.

He hasn't kicked a grubbers for a while As if he's scared to. He had multiple moments in origin and today that the defence rushed up and were vulnerable to a grubbers.
 
Messages
21,867
He has some problems, but I don't agree at all that his attacking kicking game is nonexistant. He's been getting plenty of repeat sets this year and would have had more try assists if he'd had someone who gave a shit (ie Naden) chasing his grubbers for most of it. His bombs are terrifying and general kicking game is pretty good.

There certainly is something missing though. Feel like he needs to be a bit more dangerous running with the ball. His running instincts are pretty good but he just gets dealt with a bit too easily. I'm not sure you could strengthen that part of his game without weakening another though. If he bulked up a bit you might lose that insane fitness, which I'd mention resulted in 2 extraordinary try savers. If he'd served up two outstanding attacking moves and been invisible for the Tupou and Radley stops he'd have been praised despite him offering no more on the scoreboard.

Anyway, no point getting too worked up over him. He's not going anywhere, especially not when we're winning.


The bombs are good, but he does them too often.

Re his repeat sets. He's had 8 this year, that's nothing amazing. Maloney has over 20 (after today)

His general play kicking is poor outside of the bombs, he rarely finds the turf and he never gets 40/20's (or even close to it)
 

Luke Bowden

First Grade
Messages
6,913
We just had a good win after a solid performance.

Our 21 year old half back, just busted his gut in Origin and backed up and busted a gut today.

And here we are. Whinging about him. Again.

Have you guys seen footage of Andrew Johns playing at the same age?
 

mxlegend99

Referee
Messages
23,004
We just had a good win after a solid performance.

Our 21 year old half back, just busted his gut in Origin and backed up and busted a gut today.

And here we are. Whinging about him. Again.

Have you guys seen footage of Andrew Johns playing at the same age?
Literally got through more work than any merkin in Origin. Saves a couple tries today. Nails every goal. Links well with Jimmy. Gets bagged out
 
Messages
21,867
We just had a good win after a solid performance.

Our 21 year old half back, just busted his gut in Origin and backed up and busted a gut today.

And here we are. Whinging about him. Again.

Have you guys seen footage of Andrew Johns playing at the same age?


I did hear Andrew Johns talking about the exact same thing this thread is about. Cleary's lack of attacking skills.
 

Flashstep

Juniors
Messages
522
I’m also one of his biggest defenders here also but the truth is I have seen his weaknesses for a while But the thing is there is a good half in there somewhere, when he first came into first grade he was on fire, had a fantastic running and supporting game and a varied kicking game. I had hoped Griffins coaching was restricting him but I don’t think that’s the case anymore clearly.

The problem is we have gone all in on Cleary, he could possibly make a good hooker but I doubt Ivan ever moves him there and I don’t think Nathan would move so early in his career.
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
Literally got through more work than any merkin in Origin. Saves a couple tries today. Nails every goal. Links well with Jimmy. Gets bagged out

Addressing his issues as a halfback that I've been just about the only person defending since I got back online. I honestly think he has been poorly coached to be too conservative starting with Griffin and now he's stuck in the habit.
 
Messages
21,867
I’m also one of his biggest defenders here also but the truth is I have seen his weaknesses for a while But the thing is there is a good half in there somewhere, when he first came into first grade he was on fire, had a fantastic running and supporting game and a varied kicking game. I had hoped Griffins coaching was restricting him but I don’t think that’s the case anymore clearly.

The problem is we have gone all in on Cleary, he could possibly make a good hooker but I doubt Ivan ever moves him there and I don’t think Nathan would move so early in his career.


I think there's a rose coloured glasses effect going on about his first season or so. Yes his running game was good, but he's never been creative. I think his early stuff stands out because he was so young.

Hooker would actually suit his running game.
 

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
I think there's a rose coloured glasses effect going on about his first season or so. Yes his running game was good, but he's never been creative. I think his early stuff stands out because he was so young.

Hooker would actually suit his running game.

He needs to stay at halfback and start backing himself more. He's definitely not a hooker.
 

Dave's mate

Juniors
Messages
1,783
We just had a good win after a solid performance.

Our 21 year old half back, just busted his gut in Origin and backed up and busted a gut today.

And here we are. Whinging about him. Again.

Have you guys seen footage of Andrew Johns playing at the same age?
These merkins must forget the plethora of duds we have had wearing the 7
 

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