James Maloney gets dumped by own son for Nathan Cleary as halves pair chase Panthers’ 3-0
TO prove how popular Nathan Cleary is out at Penrith, just ask his new halves partner James Maloney as they combine to chase an historic 3-0 start for the mountain men.
Panthers
Don't miss out on the headlines from Panthers. Followed categories will be added to My News.
TO prove how popular Nathan Cleary is out at Penrith, just ask his new halves partner James Maloney.
Maloney has been at the foot of the mountains just a couple of months, but his three-year-old son, Ethan, has quickly dumped the old man and now calls himself ‘Cleary’ when running around with the footy in the backyard.
Cleary and Maloney will try to guide the Panthers to their third straight victory of the season on Friday night against Canterbury, something the club has never achieved in a unified competition.
LATE MAIL: Gallen ruled out for Sharks
SELECTIONS: Who the experts are tipping in round three
CRAWLEY FILES: Why you can’t compare different eras
“My youngest is running around with the footy calling himself, ‘Nathan Cleary’,’’ Maloney said this week, shaking his head.
“He used to be a Paul Gallen fan.
“He plays footy at home and will say, ‘I’m Nathan, who are you?’. I’ll tell him, ‘can I just be me?’.
“It’s not hard (to understand).
“He’s been outstanding our first two games. It’s a credit to him. As he progresses, sides do homework on him, but he still finds a way to get into the game and he understands what needs to be done at different times.
“He reads the game really well.
“I still think there’s a lot we can improve on, and that will come over the coming weeks.’’
Despite Penrith giving up 14-point leads in their games against Parramatta and South Sydney before rattling home to win, Maloney said a big positive was the ‘’mental attitude’’ of the club’s younger players.
“There’s a lot of steel and resilience in this young side, and that mental attitude doesn’t necessarily always go (hand-in-hand) with a young team,’’ Maloney said.
“While it’s not ideal giving up starts, it’s been a positive the way the guys have knuckled down.’’
The Panthers won their opening three games to start the 1997 Super League season, but since they entered first grade in 1967 have failed to go 3-0 in a unified competition.
“Until 2018,’’ Maloney said, when told of the remarkable history.
“It doesn’t matter where you go, you can always find a quirky stat like that. Somebody told me after my first game, in all the clubs I’d been to I’d never won a game in the first round.
“It’s interesting, but hopefully 2018 is the year that changes.’’
The Panthers lost Sam McKendry (knee), Tim Browne, who ruptured his bowel in reserve grade, and winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak last weekend, with coach Anthony Griffin confirming Christian Crichton, a Panthers junior, would replace Watene-Zelezniak on the right wing.
He enjoyed plenty of game time during the trials, including the club’s shock loss to a second-string Canterbury.
Fullback Dylan Edwards has run for more metres in the opening two rounds than any other player except Blake Ferguson and Jai Arrow, and was keen to cause some damage with his kick returns against the Bulldogs who have leaked 30 or more points in their first two losses.