COVENTRY – If this was the audition, Nathan Cleary passed. The halfback jersey discussion has rumbled in the background for weeks, but when the boy wonder finally got on the field, he made the debate look more than a little silly.
Granted, the opposition wasn’t up to much, and the scoreline of 84-0 tells that story. But the manner with which Cleary, ably assisted by clubmate and fellow debutant Isaah Yeo, dictated proceedings was impressive.
Cleary was robbed of Andrew Johns’ record of 30 points on debut by a forward pass call and a missed sideline conversion in the final moments, but managed 28. It was, by any standards and against any opposition, an excellent start.
“He feels like part of the team now,” said Mal Meninga of Cleary. “He’s in there now, talking and joking, he certainly had a great game tonight. He controlled the game really well and that’s what we want from our key guys.”
The coach refused to be drawn on who will get the nod next week in the halfback role, or whether Daly Cherry-Evans might play alongside Cleary in the halves against Italy.
The defensive cohesion was massively improved and the line speed, which did not give Scotland an inch. The minnows crossed halfway for just 10 play-the-balls in the whole game and got their first inside the 20m with 30 seconds to play, thanks to a Kangaroos error.
“We excelled tonight, you’ve got to be happy with that,” said Meninga. “We came with a clear plan, and our ball control was excellent in those conditions. All those little things we did really well. We were relentless with it through the 80 minutes.
“I’m very happy with the performance. It’s early yet so we’re not going to get carried away but I can’t criticise any of it. I thought we were very good.
“The boys are working very hard for each other and they kept it going for the 80 minutes, that’s what pleases me, our attitude and mindset is really good.”
Australia have had harder training sessions than this. The gulf between the Kangaroos and Scotland was evident from the first whistle, with the Bravehearts needing all their famed fortitude to keep enthusiasm up.
(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images for RLWC)
They tried to play expansive footy, but it seemed foolhardy: every mistake they made, and there were plenty of them, presented attacking opportunity to the Kangaroos.
Kane Linnett, one of their few names that would be recognisable to Australian fans, was binned in the second half for a professional foul on a night where they were overmatched and didn’t need to give the Kangaroos any encouragement.
Josh Addo-Carr scored four, Campbell Graham got a hat-trick, Jack Wighton grabed two and Matt Burton, Ben Hunt, James Tedesco, Angus Crichton, Yeo and Cleary also made the scoresheet.
(Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Beyond the long list of scorers, Pat Carrigan and Reagan Campbell-Gillard took countless carries and dominated the metres.
For Carrigan, a friend of Luke Hampson, who died tragically in a Barcelona nightclub this week, getting out on the field and playing for his country must have been cathartic.
The scoring started early, with Cleary throwing a trademark cutout for the Foxx, and through to halftime, the scoreline outpaced the clock. The Scots couldn’t keep the ball, with just eight sets all half. It would have been enough to lose to much worse sides than the Kangaroos.
Some of the tries were excellent – mostly Addo-Carr, who gave Lachlan Walmsley a torrid night – while others, such as Cleary’s, were the result of very poor defence. When you have to make that many tackles, these things will happen.
The second half was even worse. It took Scotland seven minutes to get the ball after the break. In that time, James Tedesco had scored and so had Ben Hunt. Tedesco was withdrawn within two minutes of the resumption of play, the cue firmly in the rack.
The scoring continued, and the Kangaroos saved the best for last: Burton chased a bouncing ball well over the sideline, flicked it back through his legs and found Addo-Carr, who kicked and chased for some late razzle dazzle to send the 10,000-strong crowd home happy.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Point taken, just that there seems an endless amount of ordinary, washed up NRL players who go on to make it big in the UK. You would think though, if Super League helped develop them, then they should show something when they return to Australia. Naiqama, 3-peat GF winner, came straight back this year as part of a contending Roosters team instead of the Tigers, and yet offered .. not a lot. Can't even recall a tackle break tbh. Looked no more threat with the ball than before he left. Sam Tomkins, man of steel 2012 (and 2021 - so still their best), offered very little as part of the Warriors 2014/2015. He never looked dangerous, and often played speedbump in defence. Zac Hardaker, man of steel, 2015, came to Penrith the next year with high hopes, but watching live, just never looked anything but a very ordinary player. I don't know what the criteria is for that award, but if it's widely acknowledged as the best player in the league, (for me), it says a lot about the rest.
Nat
Roar Guru
Is Cleary better, yes. Did he play so much better in an 80pt hiding to justify the Tops v Flops comparison - no. I suspect Mike is chasing the debate (clicks) more than a truthful comparison. By rights yes. I think NZ are the biggest threat but the Poms, like Aust, have a number of very good individuals that are better than the club team around them. The sum of the parts are better than the whole but it still makes them very dangerous. Easily No. 3 with potential in my books. Croft and Naiqama are examples of system over the individual I believe. How many average players have excelled in Melbourne and good players fail when leaving? In 2019, Croft lead Melbourne all season to a convincing minor premiership. He didn’t play finals and Melbourne get bounced before the GF. 2020, comes to Brisbane with a bunch of kids and fails. Wrong time and place for a 22yo. The kid is still only 25yo now, he’s not bad and still a fair bit away from his peak years. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back.
Nat
Roar Guru
And yet one old guy has held up the SOO trophy 2x in 3 years. https://www.google.com/search?q=daly+cherry+evans,+origin&rlz=1C9BKJA_enAU1011AU1012&hl=en-GB&prmd=niv&sxsrf=ALiCzsasBhzktidh2wNJvveCq1Q_G2CX0A:1666576322315&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjK17rN4Pf6AhU74DgGHflkDNIQ_AUoAnoECAEQAg&biw=1366&bih=905&dpr=2#imgrc=MMXVMSEdBJzBdM
Panthers
Guest
Not universally loved… Well no team will be universally loved for a start. As not all supporters support the one team. Plus there’s always those with an axe of some type to grind. Then, as many others have said. You’re never going to be that popular as a team if you have some success for a while. As other teams supporters want their team to win , which is natural. Which team do you support? Tell us , so we may gain a better understanding of the big axe that you’re grinding away at.
What the !
Guest
Well it’s good of them to support a team full of foreigners too! :laughing:
Justin
Guest
Breaking rules as you see it. Then deliberately trying to take opposition players heads off, are two quite different things. Same as getting your mate to hold an opposition player & rag doll him while you punch him out. Send offs! Don’t know where you got Penrith from ? I was actually referring to South’s versus Roosters. However, yep Milne did get sent off in the other game & rightly so. They actually got that right for a change!
Westie
Guest
Matter of opinion. Didn’t that halfback Hynes also disappear when the finals came around? Though glad that you admit that the best 3 halfbacks are all from NSW . Four if we add in Reynolds. Although he’s an old guy like DCE. :laughing:
Crow
Roar Pro
Mitchel and Val. Period. Watch this space.
Crow
Roar Pro
Halfback in the last three grand finals and captain of two winning teams. It’s not a slur on DCE it is simply the facts. The data is in.
Crow
Roar Pro
Totally agree DCE is a champion. He Will still contribute a lot to the squad. Captain of his club, Qld captain.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Possibly, but sure felt a whole lot of self reflection going on out there for a Sunday. Poms should find out in the final that there is still a big gap between the two hemispheres. Kevin Naiqama starring in Super League after Tigers offering him to look elsewhere says it all. Wins the Harry Sunderland trophy in 2021, their Clive Churchill medal. Brody Croft wins this year's man of steel, their Dally M award. Brody Croft ? It shouldn't matter too much who we use. Australia's third, fourth, or fifth best team wouldn't have Brodie Croft playing in it, right ?
Nat
Roar Guru
Jenny the person creating the great divide is a pom who wrote the article. It is widely accepted that Cleary is the better have and will/should take the position come finals time and going forward for a long while. However, the notion that these two games showed any vast difference is what is being debated. We are talking about consecutive 48 & 60pt hidings but apparently one flopped and one was brilliant?
JennyFromPenny
Guest
You can't please everyone, all of the time, and when Penrith is winning, you can't please the 98% non-fans, any of the time.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
change hands
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Fair call Tim
JennyFromPenny
Guest
..and yes was including myself in the State nonsense, but then suddenly thought why are we placing State patriotism before Country?We're all a pretty sad narrow minded bunch it would seem.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I guess you didn't watch the Tigers play this season... or the Titans... or the Warriors... or the Knights :silly:
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
This game was played in England
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Australia have never played against Tonga at a World Cup
Nat
Roar Guru
Moses isn’t even the 2nd best half in NSW. There’s another bloke in the shire who has usurped him. I doubt he chose Lebanon like there were other options available.