Nathan Cleary has again left the NRL world speechless after coming up clutch once again to give Penrith a golden point victory over the gutsy Dolphins.<\/p>\n
The Panthers No. 7 was brilliant in the first half with two line breaks and two try assists, as he took his side out to a commanding 18-0 lead on Friday night.<\/p>\n
However, the Dolphins hung tough and stormed back into the match and took the lead midway through the second half. <\/p>\n
However, with the scores tied at the end of regulation time, there was only one man you wanted on your side, Nathan Cleary.<\/p>\n
And as he has done time and time before, he came up trumps, nailing a field goal after sidestepping a rushing defender to seal the win 23-22 over the Dolphins in a steamy affair in Darwin.<\/p>\n
You can watch Nathan Cleary ice the game in the player above.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact he has done it time and time again, the NRL world was still taken aback by his display, with premiership-winning halfback Cooper Cronk believing he already has wrapped up this year\u2019s Dally M.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he was magnificent,\u201d Greg Alexander said on Fox Sports after Cleary\u2019s first half masterclass.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive him the Dally M already,\u201d Cooper Cronk added.<\/p>\n
Fans were equally impressed by how he seemingly always manages to get it done, even if it\u2019s not always in the prettiest fashion.<\/p>\n
\u201cNathan Cleary is the ice man. It was ugly but he still gets it done,\u201d one fan wrote on X.<\/p>\n
\u201cNATHAN CLEARY ICE MANNNNNNN,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeath, taxes and Nathan Cleary clutching up,\u201d a third commented.<\/p>\n
But the Cleary masterclass and the win in general was soured by Mitch Kenny suffering a suspected fractured ankle in the first half.<\/p>\n
Kenny was on the end of a nasty hip drop tackle midway through the first half and was helped from the field by Penrith\u2019s medical staff.<\/p>\n
Dolphins five-eighth Kodi Nikorima was placed on report and sin binned and now faces a nervous wait to see if he is set to cop a multi-week suspension.<\/p>\n
While if a fractured ankle is confirmed Kenny could miss up to three months of footy.<\/p>\n