NRL grand final 2022: How does Nathan Cleary rate among the greatest halfbacks?

Panthers star Nathan Cleary’s major achievements are growing fast but how does he rate against the greatest halfbacks of the modern era? Paul Crawley breaks down the stats. Have your say.

Clint Gutherson has had more influence on the Eels than Jarryd Hayne.

We live in a world where the latest is often viewed as the greatest.

Yet these are the stats that show exactly why Nathan Cleary is on a trajectory to overtake the greatest halfbacks the game has ever produced.

In the chart below we have lined up Cleary’s major achievements alongside seven other famous No.7s who were considered the absolute elite of the State of Origin era dating back to 1980.

All these statistics are before each player turned 25.

Cleary, who is 25 in November, has played more top-class games than all at this point (136), closely followed by Peter Sterling (133), Steve Mortimer (125) and Andrew Johns (124).

Nathan Cleary is on track to overtake the greatest halfbacks in the game. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Sterling had three premierships before his 25th birthday, while Ricky Stuart had two.

Cleary can equal that with a win on Sunday.

Johns, Thurston, Mortimer and Cooper Cronk all had one title at that point of their careers, while Allan Langer was yet to win the first four with the Broncos.

But, in respect to Origins, Langer had the most at the same age (15) ahead of Johns and Cleary (13), Thurston (12), Stuart (8), Sterling (4) and Cronk (0). Mortimer had played in six interstate games but no Origins.

I know both Johns and Cronk have both said recently they believe Cleary is ahead of where they were at the same point.

Andrew Johns remains the benchmark for halfbacks in the modern era.

Cooper Cronk and Andrew Johns have said Nathan Cleary is ahead of them at the same age of their careers. Picture: Phil Hillyard

But my personal opinion is that Johns is still the greatest halfback I have seen play ahead of Johnathan Thurston, who I rate as the greatest competitor, although neither were as mature at Cleary at the same age.

I’d still have Langer third because of his instincts, just slightly ahead of Stuart, Sterling, Mortimer and Cooper Cronk, although you could have any of those in any order and it would always create just as much debate.

What no one can dispute is that Cleary has definitely earned a place in the conversation with an attention to detail that is second to none, a defensive game that stacks up with Johns, and a striking similarity to the way Stuart and Cronk managed games.

What is impossible to compare is the advancements in training, injury recovery and sports science which has improved exponentially throughout the course of the professional era (which Sterling and Mortimer never played in).

While Cleary is developing his running game, it is not yet at the same standard of Johns, Thurston and Langer who were all natural-born runners, as was Mortimer.

GUTHO GIVES EELS WHAT HAYNE NEVER DID

Jarryd Hayne will watch on when Clint Gutherson leads Parramatta into the club’s first grand final since 2009.

With Gutherson wearing the same No.1 jumper Hayne once made famous, you can only wonder if it will cross Hayne’s mind at some point what might have been had he played his entire career with the same team-first mentality that has made Gutherson the leader he is today?

Hayne walked free from Cooma Correctional Centre in February, nine months after he was jailed on rape charges – of which he has always vehemently denied – when his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal.

He has kept a particularly low profile since his release, given the 34-year-old will face a third sexual assault trial in March.

Yet even Hayne couldn’t help but get caught up in the Eels’ grand final hype, taking to Instagram to share in the celebrations as Parramatta made their first decider since his career-defining run of form in 2009.

Jarryd Hayne has become caught up in the emotion of Parramatta advancing to their first grand final since 2009.

Jarryd Hayne has become caught up in the emotion of Parramatta advancing to their first grand final since 2009.

There is no question Gutherson is not in the same ball park as Hayne when it comes to that individual brilliance.

Yet there is a legitimate argument the current fullback has been far more inspirational in his seven years at the Eels than Hayne ever was in his 10 years at the club.

Especially when it comes to Gutherson’s influence on players around him.

From leading the way every single year at those torturous pre-season training sessions where Hayne would often finish near the back of the group.

To coming up with match-defining efforts like in last week’s preliminary final win over the Cowboys, when Gutherson’s desire and desperation denied Jeremiah Nanai what looked a certain try.

And while Hayne could always come up with individual moments of spine-tingling brilliance on the field, he was almost as infamous for his lack of team commitment as he was for God-given talent.

Every coach he ever played under had their own stories of how difficult it was working with Hayne. How his questionable dedication for much of his career often defied his extraordinary on-field accomplishments.

No one will ever forget just how mesmerising Hayne was on that glorious run to the 2009 grand final when he put together six straight man of the match performances to ultimately claim his first Dally M Medal.

Jarryd Hayne reports to Merrylands police station. He is facing a third trial for alleged sexual assault. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

But almost as significant in the lasting memory of Parramatta fans would be Hayne’s parting comment in 2014 when Hayne initially quit to go and chase his NFL dream.

That season Hayne was the co-winner of his second Dally M Medal alongside Johnathan Thurston.

Yet, even though the Eels had missed the playoffs, when Hayne walked away it was with a message that he was going to compete against America’s best because he had already accomplished everything there was to do in rugby league.

Former Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith summed it up perfectly at the time: “Well, he hasn’t won a premiership”.

Yet while that didn’t seem high on Hayne’s list of priorities, from that point it was as if karma came back and slapped Hayne in the face as his career selfdestructed before our eyes.

At a time Gutherson was just arriving on the scene.

Clint Gutherson has a huge influence on the Eels. Picture: Richard Dobson

Ironically, when Brad Arthur brought the former Junior Kangaroos fullback over from Manly as a relatively unknown 21-year-old in 2016, Eels legend Peter Sterling came out and labelled another new recruit Kieran Foran the “most important” signing in Parramatta’s history.

“The reason I was so excited when we signed him is because Parramatta needed a player to build a club around with Jarryd Hayne now gone,” Sterling said of Foran.

“Someone who is extremely influential in all areas of the game both on and off the field.

“He is the most important signing that our club has made in living history.”

Little did Sterlo know (or anyone else other than perhaps Arthur) was that the guy with the real influence was going to be the other Sea Eagles signing who ultimately gave Parramatta what Hayne never did.

A leader on and off the field who inspired through hard work and perseverance – don’t forget Gutherson has had to carve out his career following multiple knee reconstructions.

And when he was forced to take over as captain in 2018 because there was no one else at the club who seemed more capable of doing it, it was still well before Gutherson appeared ready for the responsibility.

There were occasions that year when he would walk out of the Eels losing dressing sheds to media conferences with his eyes blood shot red in a season his side finished last.

Perhaps not coincidently, that was also the year Hayne returned to the Eels on the way to his third wooden spoon, and Gutherson’s first and only.

Yet in the four seasons since, the Eels have made the finals every year, culminating in this year’s grand final appearance.

The thing about this Parramatta team is that they don’t have the star power of many of their rivals, which is often viewed as their biggest flaw.

But it’s also no coincidence it is the hard working skipper who sets the standard for others not just to follow but believe in.

No, Gutherson doesn’t possess Hayne’s natural brilliance.

But if both players were in their prime and fighting for the same position today, who do you think Arthur would want wearing the Parramatta No 1 jumper and leading this team?

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