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Nathan Cleary

stryker

First Grade
Messages
5,277
Apparently Nathan now has a clause in his contract that allows him to walk if IC is not the coach in 2021. Writing is definitely on the wall....BUT, imagine if this is just an elaborate prank by the Cleary's:
Nathan signs Panther's deal
Panther's shed players to make room in cap
Tigers sign those players
Ivan re-signs at Tigers
Nathan activates clause and leaves Panthers
Nathan signs with Tigers
Cleary's are playing the long con? I love it lol, that would make that ugly merkins head explode
 

Tiger Woody

Juniors
Messages
1,630
Cleary's are playing the long con? I love it lol, that would make that ugly merkins head explode

Thought Ivan and Nathan would be smarter than to be hoodwinked by 4 chins.....
Lots of other clubs would have shelled out.And in a better area than Penrith..Nathan must love dirt and hate the beaches
 
Messages
3,212
Apparently Nathan now has a clause in his contract that allows him to walk if IC is not the coach in 2021. Writing is definitely on the wall....BUT, imagine if this is just an elaborate prank by the Cleary's:
Nathan signs Panther's deal
Panther's shed players to make room in cap
Tigers sign those players
Ivan re-signs at Tigers
Nathan activates clause and leaves Panthers
Nathan signs with Tigers
Actually that is incorrect. I also believe that Ivan will return to the Panthers, the only question is when.
 

Someone2

Juniors
Messages
2,047
Apparently Nathan now has a clause in his contract that allows him to walk if IC is not the coach in 2021. Writing is definitely on the wall....BUT, imagine if this is just an elaborate prank by the Cleary's:
Nathan signs Panther's deal
Panther's shed players to make room in cap
Tigers sign those players
Ivan re-signs at Tigers
Nathan activates clause and leaves Panthers
Nathan signs with Tigers
That’d be a nice dream
 

Someone2

Juniors
Messages
2,047
So what are people’s thoughts on the Cleary now?

if Nathan signed would the tigers of played finals footy by now?

imo he’d just be a richer mans luke brooks he would of lost he’s origin jerseys and the tigers still wouldn’t of made the 8
and people would be whinging for both clearys to be sacked

Luke brooks meanwhile would of went and won a premiership at Penrith
 

Wizardman

First Grade
Messages
8,490
So what are people’s thoughts on the Cleary now?

if Nathan signed would the tigers of played finals footy by now?

imo he’d just be a richer mans luke brooks he would of lost he’s origin jerseys and the tigers still wouldn’t of made the 8
and people would be whinging for both clearys to be sacked

Luke brooks meanwhile would of went and won a premiership at Penrith
If we signed him back then (and today), we would be playing finals footy. Nathan Cleary at halfback would attract players to your club.
 

Wizardman

First Grade
Messages
8,490
If Cleary has around 15-20 years ago he’d be a mid range halfback

the fact that he and Damien Cook are considered the best 7&9 in the game today says more about the production of play makers then anything else
I'd say it says a lot about the state of the game more than anything else. Defences were tougher to break before V'Landy's ball than any other time in the games history. You'd think with a couple of offseasons under the belt, we may see better halfback play in 2022. I'd have thought that the game was taylor made for Brooks....but he couldn't make it work last year.
 
Messages
15,359
The Panther game plan is usually pretty rigid at the end of the sets and Nate has a defined role, which he does well.

But he’s nowhere near the heyday of halves, where they led with energy, skill and passion in a much tougher environment.

They used to not be afraid of taking on the line, could kick and pass with perfection. Plus they played what was in front of them more often. Creative, they were true artists compared to the predictable robots these days. You never knew what they would do.

Just look at the old games and their individual dominance.

A Steve Mortimer or Sterlo, re-cast and thrown back into the modern game, would wipe the floor with a Nathan Cleary.

It’s an insult to have the names in the same post. I should apologise.
 

Speedy Gonzales

Juniors
Messages
673
So what are people’s thoughts on the Cleary now?

if Nathan signed would the tigers of played finals footy by now?

imo he’d just be a richer mans luke brooks he would of lost he’s origin jerseys and the tigers still wouldn’t of made the 8
and people would be whinging for both clearys to be sacked

Luke brooks meanwhile would of went and won a premiership at Penrith
What if he went to the squeels?
 

gordsy

Juniors
Messages
2,030
Different game now too though. Footy today has limited stars in the creative positions that's why people like Cleary are thought to be so great. That said though if Cleary came through a time where the top 10 teams had good halves then he may have been even better who knows.

As others have said in days gone by the top 8 - 10 teams had good halves now it's the top 5, at best.
Here's a few names from the teams of 1991
Fitler, Alexander, Carter, Hasler, Lyons,, Cogger, Dymock, Daley, Stuart, Lamb, Daley, Langer, McGrady and the list goes on and on.
 

macnaz

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
8,323
What if he went to the squeels?
The Eels have been pretty competitive across their playing group and im sure with Cleary in their team they would have made at least 1 grandfinal appearence in the last few years. They have a down hill skier that lets the rest of the team down when the pressure games are on the line.
Unlike us ... the whole team lets us down , so no single player would make a significant difference :(
 

stryker

First Grade
Messages
5,277
I don’t think it’s wise to talk down Cleary’s game impact.
By years end I predict he will have won the Dally M, Origin Series, gone deep into the finals and become the Test halfback for the WC.
 
Messages
15,359
He has a critical place in the Panthers side but it is well known he's not a 100%.

They use him in a certain way to maximise his attributes and prevent him from being furthered injured.

They seem to struggle without hm.

Any side who picks him up, they will probably have to make similar arrangements.

But there's no reason for him to change clubs. Nate and his dad have their noses deep into the trough. They will milk the panthers for as long as they can and while they are winning, that's Ok.

But say the goose of the shoulder is cooked, my fear is that Nates effectiveness over time with regards to his core skills will also diminish. And they end up with a Benji situation, where the number of factory games start to exceed the better ones and its a sad and slow diagonal spiral downwards.

And because his dad is the coach, acclimatised to using the lad, the decision will be harder.

We saw Ivan's lack of ethics and character at work here and the complete breakdown of discipline after the panthers gf.

He is driven by emotion.
 
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Wizardman

First Grade
Messages
8,490
There is one thing about Nathan Cleary that makes him stand out over a lot halfbacks that have played the game. That is the fact that he rarely f**ks up in a game of rugby league. He very rarely takes a wrong option in a game. If a pass or play is not on, Cleary will not push his luck and f**k up his his team by making a huge error. He is so good at finding the percentage play in a game....which makes Penrith so hard to beat when he is playing. He gives the opposition nothing.
 

Smug Panther

First Grade
Messages
7,004
There is one thing about Nathan Cleary that makes him stand out over a lot halfbacks that have played the game. That is the fact that he rarely f**ks up in a game of rugby league. He very rarely takes a wrong option in a game. If a pass or play is not on, Cleary will not push his luck and f**k up his his team by making a huge error. He is so good at finding the percentage play in a game....which makes Penrith so hard to beat when he is playing. He gives the opposition nothing.
He's a better Cooper Cronk
 
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