LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Nathan Cleary, a star halfback for New South Wales, has achieved remarkable success in rugby league but is still chasing a victory in a State of Origin decider.
On Wednesday night in Sydney, he has the opportunity to solidify his status among the game's greats and will surpass Andrew Johns and Mitchell Pearce to become NSW's most-capped halfback.
Despite injuries sidelining him for most of the Origin games in 2023 and 2024, Cleary reaches the milestone of 17 games.
His father and Penrith coach, Ivan Cleary, acknowledges the significance of this achievement but emphasizes that Nathan's primary focus is on leading the team to victory.
"It's a big achievement obviously," Ivan stated.
"But he'd be more interested in just playing well.
Let's hope he does."
While widely regarded as the greatest player of his generation, one critique of Cleary is that he has yet to dominate an Origin series like some legendary players.
He has expressed a sense of "envy" after watching the Blues clinch Game 3 without him last year, when Jarome Luai excelled on the field.
Although Cleary and Luai have celebrated four grand finals with Penrith, they have not yet secured an Origin decider together.
Preparation could be key for the duo.
After a short time to regain chemistry ahead of their Game 2 loss in Perth, Luai believes that more practice will lead to improved performance in Game 3.
"Everyone would say the more prep you have, the more reps you get in the bank, the more confidence you have from your training," Luai remarked.
"Basically it's just more confidence in the bank."
As Cleary steps onto the field, he not only aims for personal victory but also looks to combine with his teammates to finally win an Origin decider.