It took a play from the NRL’s best player to help win the best game of the season.
Nathan Cleary produced one moment of magic to help premiers Penrith notch a gritty 8-6 win over a spirited Canterbury.
With his side trailing the Bulldogs 6-2 in the 55th minute, Cleary charged down a Matt Burton kick, chased hard after the ball before it sat up perfectly for him to score.
“I saw the guys outside of him were a bit in front of him, so he couldn’t pass it – I think I’ll end up with a bruised chest because he kicked it that hard into it,” Cleary said after the game.
“I said to dad [coach Ivan Cleary] after the game how there was a charge-down in an Origin game in 2022 in Perth. The ball bounced over my head. I had visions [tonught] of that as the ball was bouncing, and I was like, ‘please, don’t bounce over my head’. Luckily I got a good bounce.”
Coach Ivan Cleary added: “It was a huge moment in the game. Neither side was really getting a chance down the other end of the field. You had to take your chances when you could, however they came up, and it was a big play. It was good enough to get us home in the end.”
The Dogs refused to go away, and pushed for the result in the final two minutes.
They ignored a chance to kick a penalty goal to potentially level the scores when Brian To’o was placed on report for a high shot on Bronson Xerri. Television commentators thought To’o, one of the shortest wingers in the game, had hit Xerri in the shoulder.
Either way, NSW will have a nervous wait until the match review committee hand down their finding on Friday morning. They might also be sweating on a knee injury he picked up in the first half, despite being able to finish the game.
Canterbury went down their right edge the final play of the game, only for captain Stephen Crichton to throw a pass into touch.
This was rugby league at its best. Had it been a grand final, millions of fans would have been satisfied.
Canterbury lost no admirers. They are the real deal. The premiers are starting to get warm.
As Dogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said: “There are enough lessons there for us moving forward [towards] the bigger games at the end of the year, we can use those lessons to become a better footy team. I was so proud of them.”
Happy cat: Nathan Cleary celebrates his critical second-half try.Credit: Getty Images
Penrith have now racked up four straight wins after they dawdled out of the blocks and won just one of their opening seven games.
Cleary is not 100 per cent with his groin, but his sheer presence and ability to steer the team around the park is priceless. He said he was able to complete two full training sessions, and went into the game with a lot of confidence.
Cameron Smith raised the point on Nine commentary just before half-time about how Canterbury were doing an excellent job rushing up on Cleary and forcing him to “tip on or take the tackle”.
Opposition sides have no doubt tried adopting the simple tactic, but it is another thing trying to execute it. The Dogs were only able to get as close to Cleary as they did because they were stopping Penrith in their tracks earlier in the sets.
Mitch Kenny made over 65 tackles, Casey McLean more than held his own against Crichton, Dylan Edwards kept running and running, while Liam Martin, Izack Tago and Tom Jenkins made it their mission to try and bash the Bulldogs’ wingers all night.
The Dogs were on top most of the first half, and Burton’s long kicking game allowed them to enjoy the bulk of field position.
Viliame Kikau tangles with Brian To’o.Credit: Getty Images
Fullback Connor Tracey was their standout, forever evading tackles, and coming up with two try-savers on Blaize Talagi, including one in the 18th minute, and again right on half-time.
Dogs prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita was forced off the field for a head injury assessment after wobbling out of a tackle on Moses Leota off the kick-off, and did not return. However, it was later reported that he had passed his testing and may yet avoid the 11-game mandatory standdown to return next Thursday against the Broncos.
