“Real”, “methodical” and the “ultimate professional”.
Those were the words Nathan Cleary’s NSW Blues teammates used to describe the star halfback, offering a glimpse into the qualities that have made him one of the greatest players of all time.
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To those inside Blues camp, the four-time premiership winner is more than just an elite footballer.
He is the standard of excellence and sets the benchmark through his discipline, meticulous preparation, commitment to training and ability to perform under the brightest lights in rugby league.
That approach has earned him the admiration of teammates and opponents alike, who have witnessed first-hand the work that underpins his success and his ability to constantly deliver as the chief playmaker.
“I enjoy having him in my team and I hate playing against him,” NSW Blues front-rower Mitch Barnett told foxsports.com.au.
“He’s the ultimate professional. He’s everything you think he would be.”
But while those closest to Cleary have long understood his value, the outside noise has often painted a different picture.
EARLY CRITICISM
For all of his success at club level for the Penrith Panthers, Cleary’s State of Origin career has rarely escaped scrutiny.
Despite building a resume that already places him among the game’s greatest players of all time, the Origin arena remained the one stage where critics believed he still had something to prove.
While he has helped New South Wales claim series victories in 2018, 2019 and 2021, many argued that he had never produced the defining Origin performance that turns a great player into a legend.
For example, Andrew Johns in Game II of the 2005 series, when he delivered one of the most iconic displays in Origin history.
With New South Wales facing defeat and the series on the line, the Immortal produced a masterclass at halfback, inspiring the Blues to a famous victory and cementing his reputation as one of the greats.
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Or Wally Lewis, whose dominance throughout the 1980s earned him the nickname ‘The King’.
Time and time again, Lewis rose to the occasion when Queensland needed him the most, and his name became synonymous with the Origin arena itself.
It is that level of impact – the ability to seize control of an entire match or series and leave a lasting impression – that has long been used as a measuring stick to separate the game’s great players to the Immortals of the game.
“I’ve always seen him do that. He’s learnt a lot over the years and has had some really good games and has had some other games where he feels like he could do better,” his father and Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said.
“I don’t even know what dominating Origin is because we’ve never seen anyone do it.
“Even Wally Lewis back in the day, he’s probably the only one who really (went close), but did he? I don’t know.
“I’m just so proud of him (Nathan) that he’s in there for a start and that he prepares as hard as he can and plays as hard as he can.
“He did well last week, but it’ll all be on again in a couple of weeks.”
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HOW HE SILENCED HIS CRITICS IN GAME I
Struggling to stand up in the opening half in Game I of the 2026 State of Origin series, Nathan Cleary flipped the switch when his side needed him most in the second 40 minutes.
Silencing his critics in the process, Cleary produced the kind of commanding second-half showing that Origin reputations are built on as he dragged the Blues back into the fight before steering them to victory.
After Queensland Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent from the field, the Blues halfback used his attacking, running and kicking game to control territory and run rampant over his opposition.
“It was very similar to the 2023 Grand Final where he was involved in moments that won the Panthers the Grand Final against Brisbane from behind,” Greg Alexander told foxsports.com.au.
“He was involved in big moments in the final 20 minutes in Game I. Let’s hope he can do it in Game II and we get a series win.”
In those last 20 minutes, every set began to run through him and his composure that had once been questioned during the early stages of his career was now the defining feature of his Man of the Match performance.
With a rookie five-eighth in Ethan Strange alongside him in the halves, he embraced the added workload, and he ensured that the Blues remained organised under pressure and chasing a miraculous comeback.
“He’s one of the, if not the best player in the world and has been for a few years now,” NSW Blues outside back Tolu Koula said.
“Just to be in camp and be around him every days and see how professional he is has been amazing to learn off.”
Dummy-half Apisai Koroisau, who has both played alongside and against Cleary, added, “He’s a very cool, calm and collected guy. Never gets flustered and just knows how to lead a team around the park.
“He’s a student of the game. He’s studying all the time watching video and he never leaves any stone unturned either.”
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 15: Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Barnett of the Blues share a laugh during a NSW Blues Men’s State of Origin training session at AAMI Park on June 15, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW CLEARY COULD HAVE DONE IT ALL BY THE END OF 2026
If he is able to guide the New South Wales Blues to victory in Game II and clinch the series in the process, Nathan Cleary could find himself with virtually nothing left to prove in rugby league.
A series-winning performance would add another significant chapter to a career overflowing with success and further strengthen his standing among the game’s Immortals.
“He’s a great player but a better friend as well,” NSW and Panthers teammate Brian To’o told fxosports.com.au.
“That’s what really separates him from a lot of players, the way that he shows how much he cares for the boys and also for the jersey, whether it’s for the Panthers or for the Blues.
“You can definitely see how much he cares for everyone in the team and I feel like everyone around him just gets better.
“I’m really honoured and blessed to be a part of his journey and also to share the field with him once again for the Blues.”
At just 28 years of age, Cleary has already amassed four premierships, five grand final appearances, two Clive Churchill Medals, won a World Cup with the Australian Kangaroos and been named the Dally M Halfback of the Year on three occasions.
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He has also broken countless records, captained one of the NRL’s greatest dynasties and there would be no debate that he would be a future Immortal if he can lead the Blues to winning the 2026 State of Origin series.
“He makes sure that his game has continually evolved over the last ten years,” Greg Alexander told foxsports.com.au.
“He makes sure that all the things and the things he adds to his game, whether it’s a different type of kick, whether it’s a different type of deception with the ball, whether it’s just the little things in his game that he continues to add.
“That sees his game continue to evolve and that’s a big difference in Nathan and most of the halves in the game.
“The facts that there’s a number of halves and you have to be composed and you have to be able to block out what’s going on around you and think about what you need to do.
“Nathan’s capacity to focus and not lose focus is pretty unique. He’s up there with the best in the history of the game in terms of that.
“His ability to focus and know what he needs to do, but then just execute them.”