Nathan Cleary could so worse than look at Daly Cherry-Evans amid criticism

Nathan Cleary’s misfire in the opening game of the State of Origin series has prompted the sort of criticism that shadowed Daly Cherry-Evans early in his career.

Nathan Cleary takes off his boots during the NSW Blues training at their base on the Central Coast ahead of State of Origin Game 2 in Sydney on Wednesday. Picture. Phil Hillyard

The dust was still settling on NSW’s insipid second half in the opening State of Origin game when damning analysis of Nathan Cleary’s performances for the Blues began spreading like wildfire on social media.

It made for unpleasant reading. Six Origin games, no try assists, no line break assists and no line breaks. So damning, we were forced to double and triple check for the sake of accuracy. Turns out the stats were spot on.

Cleary spent the season scoring and creating tries and line breaks for Penrith. Yet Origin once again proved a wasteland and it took an embarrassing defeat to expose the statistical frailties in his game at the highest level.

Statistics, of course, don’t always tell the story. Cleary has been a cool and calming presence for the Blues. His priority is to kick Queensland into corners and control the tempo. There is enough attack elsewhere to create the havoc necessary to win Origin games.

Nathan Cleary at the NSW Blues training base on the Central Coast. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Yet there is no question more will be expected of him on Wednesday night given the series is at stake. The time has come to reward the unflinching loyalty of coach Brad Fittler, who reacted to his performance in Origin I by handing him the vice-captaincy.

Fittler has little time for those who have taken aim at Cleary. Arguably NSW’s greatest No 7 Andrew Johns has been among them, suggesting Cleary rather than Luke Keary should have made way for Cody Walker.

Fittler clearly didn’t agree and Cleary will arrive at ANZ Stadium with a point to prove. He will do so with his coach’s backing, Fittler borrowing from the Alex Ferguson playbook as he looks to extract the best from his underfire halfback.

Ferguson, the legendary Manchester United manager, always felt that the best way to extract the most out of people was to show genuine loyalty when the rest of the world was baying for blood. Blood is what many want where Cleary is concerned.

“Joey is not the captain or the coach.” Fittler said.

“We pick players to win big games and over the last couple of years we have done a good job. In general, I think he has done a good job.

“I think he has been performing. In the second half when we had no wind we were bringing the ball off our own line. I am not that disappointed with him.

“I am seeing a different story.”

Cleary has become the man in the crosshairs after an unexpected and in some eyes unforgivable loss to Queensland in the opening game of the series. The Maroons were given no hope. Worst in history some had the temerity to suggest.

Maroons coach Wayne Bennett responded on Tuesday by mocking those who had suggested as much and with good reason. Queensland’s halves alone are the best in the business and put on a masterclass in the second half at the Adelaide Oval.

Meanwhile, Cleary has his colours lowered. The criticism that has follow has prompted some to suggest he is in danger of disappearing down the same rabbit-hole as Mitchell Pearce. Pearce became a magnet for criticism with every NSW defeat.

A more cogent example might be Maroons Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans, who controlled the game as Queensland overwhelmed the Blues a week ago. Origin hasn’t always come easy to the Maroons skipper. He played six games for Queensland and then disappeared from the scene for three years. He struggled to make his mark but is now the man the Maroons turn to.

Cleary has the chance to be that man as well. His ability off the ball has stood up to the rigours of Origin. He has carried out a mountain of work over his opening six games. He has averaged nearly 25 tackles a game and missed less than three.

But his stout defensive work fails to mask the fact he has become impotent in attack at Origin level. Cleary is a level-headed character. His temperament would seem ideal for Origin, although perhaps it is time he found some swagger to go with the style.

The sort of cockiness and bluster that Johns exhibited in his prime. When Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird agreed to take part in his first three-point contest 20-odd years ago, he walked into the locker room a few minutes before the competition was due to begin, turned to the other competitors, and asked, “Who’s comin’ in second?”.

Bird left his warm-up jacket on for the opening two rounds, easily won the final and declared himself the three-point king. Cleary doesn’t need three points to become the king of Origin. A one-point victory would be more than enough for him and the Blues