20-year-old Cleary reflects on debut the morning after the night before
Nathan Cleary has had little time to reflect on his first State of Origin game.
However, he knows that, at the age of just 20, he has enjoyed an experience that will take some topping.
“I honestly cannot put it into words,” Cleary said.
“It’s the best feeling ever. I thought about it this morning. All my footy life has been leading to this day. It was just such a big build up. To get out there and get a win on debut is a dream come true.”
Like Cleary, his predecessor was thrown into Origin from a young age. Mitchell Pearce was also a fresh-faced Blue. While Pearce’s Origin career was a long one, he was much maligned for being unable to steer NSW to a series victory. That is something Cleary will have the opportunity to do in just a few short weeks.
The Penrith playmaker, playing alongside clubmate James Maloney, was solid on debut. It was a huge responsibility for a man so young, especially given he had spent two months of the season on the sidelines through injury this season. However, he emerged from the experience unscathed.
“100 per cent I was nervous. I was very nervous,” he said.
“The kicking game has got to get better. I have to go back to the drawing board with that and hopefully produce better in game two.”
While the enigmatic Maloney was in all of the highlights - and some of the lowlights - Cleary was steady on debut. His defence was solid and he didn’t overplay his hand with the ball.
“I found it hard to get in the game in attack but we had people like Teddy (James Tedesco) and Jimmy Maloney steadying the ship,” he said.
“Teddy was on fire. My job for the team was not to let them down in defence and I’m glad I did that.
“Freddy kept reiterating to me not to overthink things. He just said to make your tackles. Joey [Andrew Johns] said it to me before the game and that was something that really stuck in my head.”
The Queenslanders targeted Cleary with and without the ball. Greg Inglis constantly ran at him and almost folded him in half with a bellringing tackle that will be replayed ad nauseum.
“It was a good one. He got me a beauty there,” he said.
“I’m glad I’ll make the highlight reel of Origin on that one. It was actually pretty funny reflecting back on it. I’m kind of glad I got hit by him. It’s kind of cool.”
Cleary got up, brushed himself off and got on with it. His first game was memorable for all the right reasons.
“The best part was going to see him after the game,” said his coach Brad Fittler.
“I said ‘how was it?’ and he said it was just crazy, it went so fast, end to end.
“It’s not until they do that a couple of times and nail a couple of the moments and think quicker than the game is going.
“At the moment he was just going end to end to end.
“He’s a great little kid. He’s got such a big future.”