Nathan Cleary and Jerome Luai

[DinkyDi]

Mal is at it again. If Nathan is not selected, ahead of Cherry-Evans, it is a joke.

World Cup jerseys not the motivation for premiership halves

They form one of the strongest halves pairing in the NRL, winning a title and State of Origin series together last year, but Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai aren't thinking about the World Cup just yet.

www.nrl.com

 

[Old and Disgruntled]

Mal is the Joke.

 

[Munky]

DCE won an origin series playing with 'the worst QLD team of all time'.

Nathan should be ahead of him in the pecking order however I don't think it's as cut and dried as it looks.

If Nathan dominates again in 2022 then he should be first up.

 

[snickers007]

It's funny, they named a Kangaroo's Merit team at the end of 2020, and Cleary was named Halfback. Cherry-Evans nowhere to be seen. The selectors at the time said "If we were picking an Australian team, that's the side we would have gone with". It was complete lip-service at the time. Further proven by the bonkers season that Cleary has just had, yet somehow Cherry-Evans has leap-frogged him?

I can't believe Meninga can say this stuff with a straight face. OK, maybe stick and pick worked for QLD, but since Cherry-Evans took the reigns of the Kangaroos in 2018, he's 2-2 (including a loss to a Tongan team with Lolohea and Staggs in the halves).

In terms of head-to-head matches, Panthers are 4-1 over Manly since 2018, NSW (with Cleary) are 6-4 over QLD (3 series to 1).

Add in 2 Dally M Halfback of the Year awards, 2 Grand Final appearances and a Clive Churchill Medal for Cleary.

Typical QLD bias from Meninga.

 

[Sime_11]

Nathan says thanks for the free motivation Mal

the LOL's will be had when we beat DCE without Cleary in 2 weeks time

 

[Iamback]

World Cup is in Nov. No guarantee either is fit for it.

Mal just making sure to keep morale up

 

[Vicpanther]

DCE won an origin series playing with 'the worst QLD team of all time'.

Nathan should be ahead of him in the pecking order however I don't think it's as cut and dried as it looks.

If Nathan dominates again in 2022 then he should be first up.

DCE was a bystander for most of that. Moustache munster was the main reason imo.

 

[DinkyDi]

Off topic, Manly are claiming to have the fastest players, in their back? Thoughts?

 

[Vicpanther]

Off topic, Manly are claiming to have the fastest players, in their back? Thoughts?

wouldn't be surprised. still wont help them though.

 

[GongPanther]

Off topic, Manly are claiming to have the fastest players, in their back? Thoughts?

That is commentary bullshit. 99% of players are not going to catch an intercept player downfield.

 

[DinkyDi]

That is commentary bullshit. 99% of players are not going to catch an intercept player downfield.

I heard one of the Manly's players, his name escapes me, boasting that their backs are bigger, and faster, than what the other teams are. This player has not played first grade yet.

 

[betcats]

With this Koula in the side they would have quickest backline for sure, he is super quick along with saab two of the quickest in the league plus Garrick who is a speedster and turbo who is no slouch. Not sure if koula makes the starting side.

 

[Vicpanther]

With this Koula in the side they would have quickest backline for sure, he is super quick along with saab two of the quickest in the league plus Garrick who is a speedster and turbo who is no slouch. Not sure if koula makes the starting side.

I really like saab. Just wish he didn't play for the grubs

 

[DinkyDi]

With this Koula in the side they would have quickest backline for sure, he is super quick along with saab two of the quickest in the league plus Garrick who is a speedster and turbo who is no slouch. Not sure if koula makes the starting side.

That's his name. Thanks.

 

[Original Name]

Those two wingers got hammered in the finals coming out of their own end and that allowed defensives to focus on rushing up on Tommy and hitting him as much as they could in numbers. Speed is great but there needs to be a balance and they got touched up by Souths and Melbourne partially because they didn't have enough strength.

Two speedy but not strong wingers is great if you want to be flat track bullies though.

 

[gordsy]

That Manly can make the top four shows how weak the comp is

 

[hindy111]

Both fast but how good are their defense?

You need powerful wingers.

 

[The_Frog]

Mal is at it again. If Nathan is not selected, ahead of Cherry-Evans, it is a joke.

World Cup jerseys not the motivation for premiership halves

They form one of the strongest halves pairing in the NRL, winning a title and State of Origin series together last year, but Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai aren't thinking about the World Cup just yet.

www.nrl.com

Meninga with his Queensland bias should not even be selecting the Kangaroos team.

 

[The_Frog]

That Manly can make the top four shows how weak the comp is

There was certainly a massive gulf between the top 3 and the rest, and another gulf after 6th. Even the Roosters faded at the finish and were fortunate to get past the Titans in week 1.

 

[gordsy]

From memory the gap between 1st and 8th last year was the difference between 1st and last 20 years ago.
To me that says a lot...