Cleary could be Kangaroos half next year: Meninga
Brent Read12:00AM September 14, 2017
Halfback Nathan Cleary will lead Penrith against Brisbane tomorrow night.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has dangled a carrot in front of Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary by suggesting the Panthers playmaker could be ready to wear the Australian No 7 jersey as soon as next year.
Cleary, who will lead Penrith against Brisbane tomorrow night, is likely to be among the top contenders to replace Cooper Cronk should the Melbourne star decide to retire at the end of this season.
Meninga also mentioned North Queensland half Michael Morgan, Sydney Roosters and
NSW No 7 Mitchell Pearce and Manly playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans but he made it clear Cleary would be ready for higher honours sooner rather than later, starting with next year’s State of Origin series.
Asked whether he thought Cleary would then be ready to replace Cronk, Meninga said: “Quite possibly. I have no doubt he will be in that mix.
“If you are good enough, you are old enough. He gives himself time to think and perform an action — to kick or pass. He has time to do that. That can only get better because he has an innate ability to slow things down and not be under pressure all the time.”
Cleary’s ability to handle pressure is likely to be tested tomorrow night as the Panthers attempt to keep their season alive against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium. The 19-year-old has met expectation head on this season, stamping himself as not just a star of the future but of the present.
There were some who thought he was ready for Origin this year. Meninga has no doubt he will be ready next season.
“I reckon he is right to go with an experienced guy beside him,” Meninga said. “Maybe you put in a Mitchell Pearce or someone like that. You already have James Tedesco (at fullback) so he has some good experience around him.”
Brisbane hooker Ben Hunt paid Cleary arguably the greatest compliment before their sudden- death clash, saying taking him on was like “going into a game against Johnathan Thurston”.
And Queensland coach Kevin Walters wasn’t surprised. “There is only one Johnathan Thurston for mine but for a guy his age he is doing some great stuff on the field,” Walters said of Cleary.
“He’s a quality player, he’s got a calm head on his shoulders for a young player. And I thought his tactics (in finals win over Manly) were really good last week, kicking the ball early — that sort of stuff wins big end-of-season games.”
However, Walters sounded like an anxious man when asked about the possibility of Cleary making his Blues debut as soon as next year. “I hope it is a long way away,” he said.
Meninga named his Prime Minister’s XIII squad yesterday for the September 23 game against Papua New Guinea, selecting Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic in the centres and Tigers custodian Tedesco in the No 1 jersey.
Trbojevic is likely to spend time at fullback and wing as well, with Tedesco slotting in at centre. Both will need to impress to improve their chances of making the World Cup squad.
The likelihood is that Melbourne’s Billy Slater and Brisbane’s Darius Boyd will be in the Kangaroos squad for the tournament, meaning the selection of Trbojevic and Tedesco could hinge on how well both acquit themselves playing in the centres and on the wing.
“Both Teddy and young Trbojevic have played in the centres and on the wing before,” Meninga said. “We have a lot of competition which is difficult, but healthy. You don’t know what will happen in the next few weeks. You have to keep your options open. They’re in the mix.”
There was also a place for Josh Dugan in the centres despite his well-documented problems in the latter stages of St George Illawarra’s season, when he was dropped for missing the team bus.
Dugan and Blake Ferguson were also at the centre of the NSW Blues’ fallout, and both called Meninga to tell him their side of the story.
“I was impressed they contacted me to give their side,” Meninga said. “In Duges’ case, the last incident at the Dragons he said was his fault and he put his hand up. That tells me a lot about his character. He copped that on the chin.
“I think they are both marvellous people. They have grown as people. I am impressed that they can own up to things."
