NRL 2023: Mitchell Moses lengths behind Nathan Cleary, says Craig Gower

A premiership-winning halfback has declared Mitchell Moses is “lengths” behind Penrith rival Nathan Cleary when it comes to icing big game moments.

Craig Gower says Nathan Cleary is lengths ahead of Mitchell Moses as a halfback. Picture: Brett Costello

A former Australian and premiership-winning halfback has declared Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary is “lengths” ahead of Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses, who is a “good frontrunner’’ but fails to fire in big games.

As the halfbacks prepare to go head-to-head in the grand final rematch, Penrith’s 2003 premiership hero Craig Gower poured cold water on Moses’ big-game credentials.

“I don’t think you can really compare the two, to be perfectly honest,” said Gower.

Moses will take on Cleary at CommBank Stadium with the support of Parramatta legend Brett Kenny, who said the Eels playmaker was “starting to play what’s in front of him”.

The winless Eels are rated $3.15 outsiders by the TAB against the Panthers on Thursday night.

“In the stats, they are the one-two but I think when you look at who can get the job done, Nathan is actually lengths in front of him,” Gower said.

“That’s the truth, mate.

“I don’t think Mitch Moses has the all-round game that Nathan has. The way Nathan ices games and Mitch just hasn’t. That is where the question marks are and that is where Nathan is a fair way in front of Mitch.

Mitchell Moses (R) and Nathan Cleary before last year’s grand final. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Look at the games and look at what’s happened so far this year, and past games. Mitch is a good frontrunner but it’s when the game is on the line…

“Don’t get me wrong, Mitch is a great player but it doesn’t seem like he can nail those big games.

“He has obviously come under fire this year for putting his team into positions for him to ice the game but unfortunately he hasn’t come up with the plays.

“Everyone talks about dollars – I’m not really into the dollar side of things but more about who is actually winning those tight games.

Craig Gower. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“And it seems like Nathan and Penrith can come up with those vital plays and at the moment, Mitch can’t. If you look at what’s been done, I stand by my comments.”

Kenny backed Moses but said Parramatta’s forward pack had to match the Panthers – and that Dylan Brown needed to step up.

“Mitch has a lot ability and he runs the ball very well,” Kenny said. “He looks as though he is now, at times, starting to play what’s in front of him.

“A lot of times when you compare Penrith and Parramatta, the Panthers forward pack seem to dominate and that’s where the difference is.

“Take nothing away from Cleary, he is a great player, but for Mitch, that’s can be a problem.

“Mitch probably doesn’t have that quality where a halfback can still control things even when their forwards aren’t on top. A halfback will come up with something and Mitch probably isn’t at that level.

“He needs his forwards to be dominant before he can start to do his thing. If your forwards can control things, it makes it a lot easier for the halfback.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m bagging Dylan Brown, but I don’t think sometimes he does enough on his side and I wonder whether that affects Mitchell Moses.”

GOLDEN BOOT: CLEARY V MOSES

This will be rugby league’s ultimate battle of the boot – Cleary v Moses.

And a decisive Nathan Cleary win over Mitch Moses may just about end the Eels’ top four chances in March.

Fox Sports Stats can reveal the two playmakers and kickers - who go head-to-head in Thursday night’s grand final replay at BlueBet Stadium – are statistically the best two kickers in the NRL.

They are ranked either first or second in multiple kicking categories.

This will be a subplot within a match which should be played in front of another sellout crowd.

Since 2020, Moses is rated first in try kick assists. Cleary is ranked first in average kick metres, Moses is second.

Cleary is first, Moses is second, in forced drop outs.

The Panthers halfback is first in field goals kicked and equal second in 40/20 and 20/40s.

Cleary is second in goals kicked, Moses fourth. They have kicked 485 goals between them since 2020.

Asked to dissect the pair’s kicking games, former Manly premiership-winning halfback Matt Orford said: “It is hard to split the two but I think Nath Cleary has more variety in his kicking game.

“Cleary has a bag of tricks with his kicking. He has combinations with his five-eighth (Jarome Luai) and fullback (Dylan Edwards). Cleary and Edwards try things.

“Mitch has a long kick and a high kick. He and Cleary both have those spiral bombs and those awesome ‘floaters’.

“It obviously helps their kicking games when their forwards go forward. That is when they use that floating bomb. I think Nath has the edge, purely because the pressure on the Eels.

“Maybe Mitch isn’t going to his kicking trick bag at the moment because the Eels are under pressure and scrapping for a win.

“Mitch isn’t being overly expansive and isn’t risking the high risk, high reward kicking game. That’s the different.

“Nath and his teammates know they will be there for each other. They read it so well.”

Ex-Panthers grand final halfback Craig Gower added: “Nathan has great variety in his kicking game.

“Adam Reynolds is one of the best kickers in the game. I think they are certainly one-two. Mitch Moses has a terrific kicking.”

The Panthers, NSW and Kangaroos halfback tormented Parramatta’s back three last year.

TAB bookies have Penrith as $1.37 favourites with Parramatta the $3.15 outsiders for the Thursday night blockbuster.