Is Cleary the best player in the NRL?
With yet another starring role in a Penrith Panthers victory, the argument for Nathan Cleary being the NRL’s No.1 player has continued to grow throughout Rugby League circles.
Cleary produced a dominant performance in the 48-12 win over Gold Coast Titans which included a hat-trick of tries, two try assists, three line breaks, two line break assists, nine tackle breaks, eight conversions, 173 run metres and 19 tackles with just one miss.
Following the display, several names across the game – including opposition coach Justin Holbrook – have endorsed Cleary as the best without question in the NRL.
“He is so good,” Holbrook told the post-match press conference.
“He is a tackle or two in front, he never gets flustered.
“He is the best game management player in our game, he’s brilliant.”
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary added “the game will slow down for him” as his 23-year-old son gains more experience at the game’s highest level.
“There has been significant improvement for him this year,” Cleary told NRL.com.
“His decision making has been really good.”
In his Round 10 clash against the Titans, Cleary’s involvements were perfectly appropriate for the aptly titled Magic Round as commentators were in awe of the No.7, re-iterating the best-in-game status for the Dally M Medal leader.
“Without doubt Nathan Cleary is the most complete halfback in the competition and close to the best player,” True Blue Braith Anasta said.
“He is in complete control of his side and his own game.”
Fellow Fox League analyst Cooper Cronk added that Cleary was “on top of his game right now.”
“He has it on a string,” Cronk said.
Cleary will suit up for a blockbuster top-four clash in Round 11 as the Panthers take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Sunday afternoon at Apex Stadium, Dubbo.