Men’s State of Origin Game 3 2026 - The Blues Vs The Maroons - 8:05pm Wednesday 8th July - Suncorp Stadium

Does Cleary now move into the immortal conversation now?


State of Origin: Wally Lewis Medal (2026) in a series decider in QLD and the Brad Fittler Medal (2020)
NRL Premierships: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
Clive Churchill Medal: 2021, 2023.
Dally M Awards: Halfback of the Year in 2020, 2021, and 2025.
Penrith Panthers Awards: Merv Cartwright Medal (Club Best and Fairest) in 2020, 2021, and 2025.
RLPA Awards: The Players' Champion (2020) and Halfback of the Year (2020, 2021).
Mary Fowler
 
This was Cleary’s first Origin decider win (he had previously gone 0–3 in Game 3 appearances).

What sort of an immortal has a mortgage on the 7 jersey for 8 years straight and until last night hadn't won a series decider, especially considering how stacked the Blues team is.

Daley even took the kicking off him for this game because Cleary had been struggling to make an impact while being tasked as the primary kicker.

Last night we saw a great halfback finally have a great game when we needed it from him. If he manages to do this moving forward, then it becomes a conversation. As it stands, that performance is an outlier.
 
The thing about rugby league is that you’re so captive to team situation. Not saying Cleary doesn’t “deserve” the four rings, but deadset the 2022 version of that team could have won the comp with Kyle Flanagan at halfback. 18 months ago the Knights were idiots for signing proven loser Dylan Brown and the Tigers were on the verge of being contenders because look how brilliant Penrith were with Luai subbing in at 7 right? Even though Parramatta were a better attacking team that season and were only losing because they shipped 30 every week…

I do think that as of 2023-24 that Penrith team came back to the pack enough that if you swapped Cleary out for Nicho Hynes, and put Cleary on the Sharks, the Panthers don’t win those seasons, and the Sharks have won one. That’s impossible to prove but I think that’s his level. I think he’s one of the five best halfbacks I’ve seen enough of to fairly judge, in any era I’ve seen he would have never been any worse than the third best active #7, and clearly a premiership calibre lead playmaker… but more like a top 20 player overall than top 5-10.

So in summary, no, just by eye test, I wouldn’t put him up there. But as the accolades keep piling up he will probably get hyped into it.
 
I agree with Harv in that it's a team game, so completely putting failures or successes on one player isn't fair. Even Joey couldn't carry a busted Knights team at the end.

But I do think the number of and type of accolades Cleary has accumulated should count. Perhaps he needs to win the Dally M outright to truly be considered.
 
Les Misérables said:
This was Cleary’s first Origin decider win (he had previously gone 0–3 in Game 3 appearances).

What sort of an immortal has a mortgage on the 7 jersey for 8 years straight and until last night hadn't won a series decider, especially considering how stacked the Blues team is.

Daley even took the kicking off him for this game because Cleary had been struggling to make an impact while being tasked as the primary kicker.

Last night we saw a great halfback finally have a great game when we needed it from him. If he manages to do this moving forward, then it becomes a conversation. As it stands, that performance is an outlier.
Click to expand...

He needs to bsck it up, but Moses did a lot last night that will go unnoticed
 
Seano said:
I agree with Harv in that it's a team game, so completely putting failures or successes on one player isn't fair. Even Joey couldn't carry a busted Knights team at the end.

But I do think the number of and type of accolades Cleary has accumulated should count. Perhaps he needs to win the Dally M outright to truly be considered.
Click to expand...
Bagging Mary Fowler when he looks like an Easter Island statue definitely helps his case!
 
Seano said:
I agree with Harv in that it's a team game, so completely putting failures or successes on one player isn't fair. Even Joey couldn't carry a busted Knights team at the end.

But I do think the number of and type of accolades Cleary has accumulated should count. Perhaps he needs to win the Dally M outright to truly be considered.
Click to expand...
But he could carry them to the top 4 and the finals

Put Joey in some of those Broncos teams in the early-mid 2000s and late 90s, they're making Grand Finals every year.

jamesgould said:
Disappointed Best didn’t get man of the match, thought with Cleary getting player of the series they might have gone with someone different for this match. Guess they just tend to pile every award on one player these days.
Click to expand...
When Cleary scored the first two tries it was his to lose, then he pulled off that one on one strip that led to a third try. Without that it would have been more level but he probably would have had it by a nose. Best not too far behind.
 
The biggest strength of Cleary, IMO, is forming combinations and bringing all the players around him into the game.
He's done that over years at Penrith.
He knows what strings to pull and when to pull them.
That skillset doesn't work well with rep sides, where different players come together for short periods.

I think I'd want Cleary as my 7 if I were putting together a side to win a premiership, because he'd have a team working like clockwork by the end of the season.

Number 1 halfback as a team player.
Top 10 as an individual.
 
Bradman would have been selected and played more Origins if he wasn’t injured. I distinctly remember previous years and obviously this year he was injured around when the side is being picked. Also there’s another left centre by the name of Latrell Mitchell. I’d have Latrell 1, maybe Herbie 2, and Bradman 3 in the best centres currently playing.
 
Macca89 said:
Pretty disappointing that after a quality win for the Blues, the majority of the press conference was about all the media around Loz.
Click to expand...
Brent Read having a cry as well after that one, you love to see it

NSW had to suck it up when QLD played pretty damn flawless in G3 last year in Sydney, now they need to do the same now when NSW were the far better team.
 
Celticman98 said:
Laurie also stepping down as coach now.
Click to expand...
Hopefully, NSWRL make a case to the NRL about rescinding the "No current club coaches" rule and makes a play for Ivan Cleary, who will only be at Penrith for one more season.

Otherwise, maybe Brad Arthur is interested in coming home?

But it's going to be Shane Flanagan, isn't it? Oh Well. At least those who wanted Nathan dropped will get their wish when Kyle gets his first Origin jumper.
 
Grant and Munster do tend to overplay they hand, Grant seems more intent in getting gotcha moments with the markers then consistently providing clean ball. Also watch in the game how many times Ponga tried to get into dummy half but was pushed out by Grant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top