LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Warriors coach Andrew Webster may consider giving young gun Jett Cleary his NRL debut after the team faced another setback in their recent match against the Bulldogs. The Warriors slipped from their top-four position in the NRL following a disappointing 32-14 defeat to the Penrith Panthers.
The situation worsened for the Warriors when Te Maire Martin suffered a head injury merely 23 minutes into the game, resulting in a category-one concussion. Consequently, he will be ineligible to play for 11 days, missing the upcoming home game against the Dragons.
With regular halfback Luke Metcalf sidelined due to an ACL injury, Webster is likely to bring Tanah Boyd back to the starting lineup after previously demoting him to the NSW Cup in favor of Martin. However, there remains the possibility of handing Cleary his NRL debut.
At just 20 years old, Jett Cleary, the younger brother of Panthers star Nathan, has recently advanced to the NSW Cup after beginning the season in Jersey Flegg (Under-21s). Notably, he secured his position as halfback in the NSW Cup even after Boyd's return, who transitioned to five-eighth instead.
This could indicate that Cleary is favored over Boyd, though it might also be that Boyd is simply more comfortable in his new role. Social media was abuzz with discussions on Saturday night, advocating for Cleary to be given an opportunity.
Jett has made seven appearances in the NSW Cup this season, contributing to the Warriors' impressive winning streak in reserve-grade. His latest performance against the Bulldogs resulted in a thrilling 34-30 victory for the Warriors.
In a statement last week, Warriors assistant coach David Tangata-Toa acknowledged that while Cleary has been developing well, he still faces challenges in adapting to playing against larger and more experienced players. "He's developing really nicely and no doubt there's NRL in the future," Tangata-Toa revealed to Sport Nation NZ. "There's some challenges around him playing against bigger bodies and older men."