Why Nathan Cleary Finally Owns This Origin Team

For years, State of Origin has felt like Nathan Cleary trying to fit into somebody else’s version of NSW football.

That sounds ridiculous considering his resume, but Origin has always been different for him. At Penrith, Cleary completely controls the game every single set, every single kick, all the tempo change run directly through him. In Origin, it has often felt more shared and at times a little crowded.

Mitchell Moses’ injury changes everything for the Blues. It’s obviously a huge loss, especially when it comes to kicking game and game management, but it also simplifies the entire attack around one player.

This is now Nathan Cleary’s team.

The moment Moses went down, the structure of the side changed completely.

Instead of two dominant organisers sharing the field, NSW now have a much more traditional setup. Cleary controls everything, while Ethan Strange becomes a complementary running five-eighth.

And honestly, that may suit the Blues more than people realise. Strange isn’t coming into this side to overcall Cleary or dominate possession. He’ll run hard, defend hard and pick his moments. That allows Cleary to settle fully into the controlling role he plays so naturally at club level.

The more you look at it, the more it feels like the Blues have accidentally landed on a setup that completely suits their best player.

The biggest difference with Cleary this year isn’t the kicking game. That’s always been elite, it is his running game.

At the Penrith Panthers this season, Cleary has looked far more aggressive with the ball in hand. Not fake running or drifting sideways, just genuine attacking runs with purpose and that matters enormously in Origin.

This year, he looks far more willing to attack defensive lines himself, especially when middle forwards start to fatigue and that becomes even more dangerous with the type of edge forwards NSW have picked around him.

If Cleary is operating freely, the players outside him become absolutely terrifying for the Queensland defence. Haumole Olakau’atu is in devastating form and might be the most destructive edge runner in the competition right now. Hudson Young is another genuine line-breaking threat capable of turning half chances into points.

Even Ethan Strange suits this style perfectly because his instinct is to run first. This suddenly puts Cleary into a position where he has multiple edge runners, support options through the middle and two hookers capable of increasing ruck speed as the game wears on.

Fairly or unfairly, Cleary is still judged differently in Origin. At club level, he’s already one of the greatest halfbacks of the modern era. But he is still yet to fully dominate in the Origin arena, like the greatest halfbacks before him in Andrew Johns, Alfie Langer and the like.

That’s why this series feels important, with the Blues at home in Game 1, the team is now completely built around his strengths. The kicking game belongs entirely to him. The attack flows through him.

There are no excuses anymore, but there’s also no confusion.