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Nathan Cleary

Abacus

Abacus

Juniors
Messages
2,128
On Nathan's kicking a couple of points:
  • His first couple of kicks in Origin were quite good - more traditional territory gainers;
  • The first time he put up a spiral bomb on Wednesday, Joey almost blew his load in commentary;
  • Yesterday, Nathan put up a traditional drop-punt bomb instead of the spiral. I'd like to see more of these old-style bombs as I think its more of an attacking weapon with chasers a better chance of catching them (think Walsh & Coote c. 2010).

Probably the other thing to remember with our attacking kicks that for the last couple of years we've had outside backs that struggle under the high ball - we're reluctant to contest an attacking bomb so rely on the torpedo bomb hoping for an error from the opposition. Hopefully the introduction of Naden and To'o (& Edwards getting some confidence back) might change our tactics.

IMO, if we can get Cleary doing what he has been and then present a bit of variety with his kicking then he's starting to progress. Get some guys running decent lines (I think Kikau and Martin should be our wide forwards) and some speed in our outside backs, at least gives Cleary something to work with.
 
OldPanther

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/st...e/news-story/0f3e8f3b172b83953cf8d1c95a10788d

These are the numbers the NSW Blues brains trust will be lying awake at night contemplating.
As solid as Blues halfback Nathan Cleary is defensively, the NSW No.7 has failed to orchestrate a single try assist since round six this season.

Cleary’s attacking numbers from his four State of Origin appearances make equally ugly reading.

No try assists, no linebreak assists, no tries.
Sure, Cleary is a 87 per cent goal kicker this year who has also proven ice cool when it comes to kicking field goals under pressure in the NRL.

But when there’s a situation like State of Origin I where the Blues were chasing points, is the Panthers halfback really the playmaker to rely on?
Tries: 0

Try assists: 0

Linebreaks: 0

Linebreak assists: 0

On the flip side of the argument, big-game player James Maloney recorded three try-assists against premiers the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
In the same time frame since round six, Maloney has seven try-assists.

And Knights playmaker Mitchell Pearce is in a completely different stratosphere at the moment, laying on 12 try-assists in his last six NRL matches.

So what are the Blues options? Stick solid with Cleary, one of the most defensively reliable halfback’s in the NRL who is a brilliant cover-defender on the right edge?

Or pick on form and go for all-out attack, which brings Pearce right back into the equation.

And if you go for Pearce at halfback, do you trust Maloney at five-eighth?

They won a premiership together with the Roosters in 2013 and had the Blues desperately close to winning the 2017 Origin series when Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston were still part of the Maroons.

The down side for Maloney is he’s missed 47 tackles this season, the most of any player in the NRL.

In fairness, Pearce has had also 23 errors to Cleary’s 12 this season.
Maybe that just means he’s trying to create more?

No doubt about it, Super Saturday for round 14 will prove crucial.

While Pearce and the six-in-a-row Knights travel to Melbourne to meet the Storm at AAMI Park, the Panthers then take on the Rabbitohs in the following game.

If Pearce can keep the Knights roll going against the Storm juggernaut, the Knights no.7 may give Blues coach Brad Fittler no option but to pick him for Origin II.

Upstage the likes of Cameron Smith and Cameron Muster in Melbourne and surely the debate is over.

Sure Pearce will have to deal with the demons of being the most maligned NSW halfback in State of Origin history.

But if Daly Cherry-Evans can be reincarnated as Queensland captain, anything’s possible.
 
OldPanther

OldPanther

Coach
Messages
13,404
OldPanther said:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/st...e/news-story/0f3e8f3b172b83953cf8d1c95a10788d

These are the numbers the NSW Blues brains trust will be lying awake at night contemplating.
As solid as Blues halfback Nathan Cleary is defensively, the NSW No.7 has failed to orchestrate a single try assist since round six this season.

Cleary’s attacking numbers from his four State of Origin appearances make equally ugly reading.

No try assists, no linebreak assists, no tries.
Sure, Cleary is a 87 per cent goal kicker this year who has also proven ice cool when it comes to kicking field goals under pressure in the NRL.

But when there’s a situation like State of Origin I where the Blues were chasing points, is the Panthers halfback really the playmaker to rely on?
Tries: 0

Try assists: 0

Linebreaks: 0

Linebreak assists: 0

On the flip side of the argument, big-game player James Maloney recorded three try-assists against premiers the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
In the same time frame since round six, Maloney has seven try-assists.

And Knights playmaker Mitchell Pearce is in a completely different stratosphere at the moment, laying on 12 try-assists in his last six NRL matches.

So what are the Blues options? Stick solid with Cleary, one of the most defensively reliable halfback’s in the NRL who is a brilliant cover-defender on the right edge?

Or pick on form and go for all-out attack, which brings Pearce right back into the equation.

And if you go for Pearce at halfback, do you trust Maloney at five-eighth?

They won a premiership together with the Roosters in 2013 and had the Blues desperately close to winning the 2017 Origin series when Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston were still part of the Maroons.

The down side for Maloney is he’s missed 47 tackles this season, the most of any player in the NRL.

In fairness, Pearce has had also 23 errors to Cleary’s 12 this season.
Maybe that just means he’s trying to create more?

No doubt about it, Super Saturday for round 14 will prove crucial.

While Pearce and the six-in-a-row Knights travel to Melbourne to meet the Storm at AAMI Park, the Panthers then take on the Rabbitohs in the following game.

If Pearce can keep the Knights roll going against the Storm juggernaut, the Knights no.7 may give Blues coach Brad Fittler no option but to pick him for Origin II.

Upstage the likes of Cameron Smith and Cameron Muster in Melbourne and surely the debate is over.

Sure Pearce will have to deal with the demons of being the most maligned NSW halfback in State of Origin history.

But if Daly Cherry-Evans can be reincarnated as Queensland captain, anything’s possible.
Click to expand...

No try assists since round 6?!!! Most halves would be dropped by now if the team had someone like Luai waiting for a shot.
 
Marky Mark

Marky Mark

Juniors
Messages
192
It's what I've been trying to say - not good enough & holding our attack back. I don't think a week or two in Reserve grade would hurt.
 
Panther_Daz

Panther_Daz

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,901
Marky Mark said:
It's what I've been trying to say - not good enough & holding our attack back. I don't think a week or two in Reserve grade would hurt.
Click to expand...

I watched this closely on Sunday. The sets where Cleary got more touches looked very disjointed. When Maloney controlled everything looked more smooth.
 
B

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,956
Panther_Daz said:
I watched this closely on Sunday. The sets where Cleary got more touches looked very disjointed. When Maloney controlled everything looked more smooth.
Click to expand...

I’ve watched the game twice watching the halves closely the second time and this is ridiculous imo
 
Panther_Daz

Panther_Daz

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,901
betcats said:
I’ve watched the game twice watching the halves closely the second time and this is ridiculous imo
Click to expand...

Cleary hesitates a lot. He also passes it at players rather than in front of them. He did the same to Tedesco in Origin. Players are forced to almost stop to take the passes.
 
franklin2323

franklin2323

Immortal
Messages
33,546
OldPanther said:
Haha clearly. That's disgusting. I wasn't aware of the stats. He should've been made to go back to reserve grade like RCG and Mansour with Luai/Maloney halves.

Effort and tackles doesn't make up for that.

Sorry I'm having a moment.
Click to expand...

That is the issue for me. I can't speak for others but just doesn't create often enough. For me a half needs 15-20 assists a season
 
franklin2323

franklin2323

Immortal
Messages
33,546
Panther_Daz said:
Cleary hesitates a lot. He also passes it at players rather than in front of them. He did the same to Tedesco in Origin. Players are forced to almost stop to take the passes.
Click to expand...

It is why the passes to Yeo look so bad. Not only marked up but the passes don't allow any chance
 
B

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,956
Panther_Daz said:
Cleary hesitates a lot. He also passes it at players rather than in front of them. He did the same to Tedesco in Origin. Players are forced to almost stop to take the passes.
Click to expand...

He put a ball out in front of Jimmy for our first try. Went to the line and squared up before throwing the pass to hold the defence for just a fraction before they pushed out to jimmy who turned it inside for Kiks, it was the exact same play kikau almost scored off in the second half executed just as well. He throws lots of balls out in front of people actually so im not really sure what you mean about his passing, maybe he gets some wrong but it seems like he gets zero credit round here. People just focus on and exaggerate his flaws.

Now after our attack looks good he still cant get the slightest bit of credit :"oh but it wasn't that good when he was involved" come on.
 
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