Former NRL premiership winner Bryan Fletcher has defended Nathan Cleary‘s displays in the Ashes series, amid growing calls for the Kangaroos halfback to be replaced by Mitchell Moses. The Panthers superstar played in all three of Australia’s Test matches in England, as Kevin Walters’ men completed a series clean sweep.
But Cleary had a relatively quiet series by his lofty standards as the Aussies failed to really fire in England. The Kangaroos’ attack looked disjointed and their completion rates across the three Tests were not at the level Walters would have expected, even if the coach was thrilled with the 3-0 series win.
NRL great Bryan Fletcher has defended Nathan Cleary after criticism around the Kangaroos halfback’s displays in the Ashes series. Pic: Getty
Harry Grant was man of the match in the third Test, while Reece Walsh and Cameron Munster were the standout performers in the opening two Tests. Munster was also named player of the series and overshadowed his halves partner throughout the series as Cleary took more of a back seat in England and allowed his Kangaroos teammates to shine.
Fans are used to seeing Cleary dominate at club level for Penrith, where he’s won four premierships to cement his status as the best halfback in the game. But the superstar No.7 has admitted he’s struggled at times at Origin level for NSW and Cleary’s latest showing in the rep arena prompted fresh scrutiny.
But Fletcher reckons the criticism around the Kangaroos No.7 has been unfair, and believes Cleary performed his role well in England. The NRL great says while Cleary is the dominant player at the Panthers, he understands that the Kangaroos have plenty more firepower in the likes of Munster, Walsh and Grant, and played to their strengths in England.
“People have been critical of Cleary but When you’re in that side, you don’t have to do what he does (at club level),” Fletcher said on SEN radio. “People saying he’s never aimed up at rep footy. And Origin he hasn’t had the best of luck, but I find Nathan Cleary, you can just tell he has no ego.
“If anything, he’s too nice. He didn’t want to upset anything. The game plan was obviously revolving around Harry and Munster on the back of that but I thought Cleary did his job.
“He wasn’t a standout but I just don’t get where the criticism is coming from. We’ve won three-zip, he’s your halfback. And as the game’s went on they got more cohesion. If there was a fourth Test I’d back us to score 50.”
Nathan Cleary’s displays for the Kangaroos in the Ashes series have seen calls grow louder for Mitchell Moses to replace him as halfback at rep level. Pic: AAP/Getty
NRL world divided over Nathan Cleary’s Ashes displays
Former Kangaroos star Josh Morris also thinks the criticism of Cleary has been over-the-top. “You go back to when he won the game for Penrith and carried the team and that was one of the all-time great grand final performances. I think everyone kind of expects that all the time now,” Morris told 2GB’s Wide World of Sports Radio.
“He does his job in the team, and when you’re in the Australian team, everyone in that side is a great player and you’ve got to pick and choose when you make your mark. Sometimes he may be the most dominant player in the game and sometimes he may not. I don’t think it means he had a quiet series.”
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It comes after dual international Mat Rogers declared Moses the superior No.7 and suggested the Eels star should be the Kangaroos and Blues halfback moving forward. “I’m a huge Nathan Cleary fan – I’m not a Nathan Cleary hater by any stretch – I just think Mitchell Moses is a better halfback than him,” he said.
“I think he has a better kicking game, I think he has a better running game and I just think he is the best player running around at the moment. We see when he plays at the elite level and when he is in the New South Wales team and the difference he makes in that team. This isn’t every player gets a prize situation – this is you pick the best man.”