Even Nathan Cleary, the golden boy halfback for the Penrith Panthers, found the emotional return a significant challenge. This followed the New South Wales state team’s loss on Wednesday in the annual State of Origin decider. The loss hit him hard, resting like a heavy stone on his heart as he woke up Sunday morning. Though full of heartbreak, Cleary found the field again later that same day. So he was keen to take his emotions and put it into a big performance against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium.
That State of Origin defeat has been the most prolific spell of disappointment Cleary has ever endured. He unashamedly shared that he might never be completely free from the deep hurt of that loss.
“I don’t know if you ever fully get over it,” – Nathan Cleary
Both Carragher and Brian spoke for quite a long time after the game on Saturday, Cleary’s club coach and father Cleary added. All of this talk was really helpful, giving him the sense and comfort that he needed going into Sunday’s game.
After the frank speech, Cleary’s return to the field saw him run out against Parramatta, as an impact player from the bench. His presence kick-started an important turn in the game, keeping the Panthers in the driver’s seat. Immediately after the half-time siren, Cleary’s tactical genius scored Luke Garner a try to put Penrith back in front against all odds.
When his side badly needed his presence, Cleary’s influence did enough to inspire his team to run away with a 32-10 victory against Parramatta. He pressured a dropout that helped Izack Tago score soon after the resumption of play. Cleary finished an extraordinary half with a ridiculous show-and-go move. He blew by defender Joash Papalii as well as Sean Russell to his far outside, running the distance for a try scored during the last ten minutes.
Cleary looked back on his historic performance. He knew that with a quick turnaround after an embarrassing loss, he had the opportunity to really play some character building defense and see how he would respond to angry criticism.
“In the past I’ve probably after a poor Origin performance, just tried to squash it and act like it didn’t happen,” – Nathan Cleary
This time around, he approached it differently. So he set out to study his performance. He needed to know why he didn’t live up to his own standards in the Origin series.
“I came to the conclusion that it (the Origin loss) is only going to help me grow as a person and a player,” – Nathan Cleary
Cleary’s story of resilience tells a microcosmic larger story on Tampa’s roster. Ivan Cleary commented on the Panthers’ recent turnaround from five consecutive losses to winning five straight matches, emphasizing that patience was essential for regaining momentum.
“We lost five in a row and we just won five in a row so it’s taken a long time to get the ledger back,” – Ivan Cleary
With Penrith deep into the finals of 2023, Nathan Cleary is determined to ensure his painful experiences drive his motivation rather than their influence. He understands the importance of continuing to push forward, not only for himself but for his teammates as well.
“That’s an important thing. It’s about how you move on and how you present to the team. You can only kick stones and feel sorry for yourself for so long,” – Nathan Cleary
