Casey McLean was “starstruck” during a session with Stephen Crichton at the Panthers a few years ago, but the young gun was simply out of this world when he took it to the sport’s best centre earlier this season in a game that made the rest of the NRL stand up and take notice.

The Panthers centre is still only 19 but has achieved plenty with four tries on debut for New Zealand last year, while he’s currently on a hot streak with 10 tries in his past eight games heading into Sunday’s semi-final against the Bulldogs.

It’s unclear whether Crichton will overcome a foot injury to play for a spot in the preliminary final in front of 70,000 fans, but if he does, we could be treated to a repeat of one of the best individual battles of 2025.

It was back in round 17 when the Panthers were still recovering from a horror start to the year that McLean lined up against one of Penrith’s grand final heroes, with the young buck getting the better of the man he idolised growing up.

McLean took it to Crichton from the opening whistle with powerful fends, rushing defence and a confidence to get in his face, with his pressure forcing an error on the final play to seal a famous 8-6 victory.

“I’m going to have to say so,” McLean replied when asked if that was his best game in the NRL.

“Being able to go up against ‘Critta’ – one of my idols growing up – was a challenge in itself, but it was cool at the same time.

“Little me would have been screaming, but it’s cool to go up against the best.

“I had to motivate myself to step up for the game, but all the boys helped out. They know how he is and we all know he’s the best player in that position for a reason because he holds his own so I had to not let down my teammates.”

McLean may not have scored that night, but his performance transformed him and gave him the confidence to know that he was good enough to match it with anyone.

Coach Ivan Cleary hailed his effort as “unbelievable”, while halfback Nathan Cleary said “I was proud of him” when he raced across to celebrate with the young centre after the match.

“My confidence grew from being able to hold my own,” McLean said.

“But it was also my teammates around me. They helped boost me up as well mentally by telling me what I’d just done and asking ‘why can’t you do this every week now?’

“I’ve just kept building on that.”

More than 50 family members and friends watched him score in last week’s elimination final win over the Warriors in Auckland, with McLean getting a taste of the post-season after he was dropped just weeks out from the 2024 finals.

He concedes he’s in a better place now to deal with the finals pressure, with the teenager mature enough to look at last year’s premiership run as the motivation he needed to keep his spot this time around.

“Just being a part of the squad and seeing what they were able to do was cool,” he said.

“Being able to be a part of the team this year is a massive opportunity and I don’t want to take it for granted.”

Originally published as ‘Little me would have been screaming’: The Stephen Crichton clash that turned Casey McLean into a genuine star