Sometimes in sport, you have to sit back and applaud.
Typically it isn’t while you’re also playing at the same time, but for some of the Panthers players, that’s what they felt like doing as they watched Nathan Cleary almost single-handedly turn a 16-point deficit into a two point lead to deliver a third consecutive Premiership to the foot of the mountains.
It wasn’t just that Cleary did it, either. It was that they all thought that he would.
“If there’s anyone who believes and trusts in him the most in the world it’d be me,” said Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo.
“We’ve been lucky enough to play in a lot of games, tight games, big games, and I know how hard he works and how diligent he is.
“I’ve always got the belief that he can conjure something up for us and I was proved right tonight.”
Yeo was on the sidelines when Cleary kicked into gear, undergoing a HIA, and Jarome Luai had departed too with a shoulder complaint.
Knowing that it was all down to him was what spurred Cleary on, according to winger Sunia Turuva.
“It’s mad, seeing him do his thing,” said the Fijian.
“When Romey and Yeoy went off, it ticked it off for him and he got to work. We always have trust in that guy. Backs to the wall and he’ll come through.
“It’s crazy. The last 15 minutes were crazy. We’re down by 16 and up by two, what a mad 20 minutes. Fucking crazy.”
It should silence the critics, said Yeo, and proved the vindication of the faith that the Panthers have in their halfback and each other.
“Romey goes off, I go for my HIA and Nath stands up and puts on a clinic to win us the game,” he said.
“I feel like, whatever, it is tall poppy syndrome because he’s won so much. He’s still got his doubters out there – and he continues to shut them up on the big stage.
“We were taking ‘trust the process’ to the absolute extreme tonight.
“We got the footy we wanted at the start of the game, it was really hot, they weren’t completing well and we were, but we just weren’t getting the points off the back of it. We were sort of hoping they’d fall over and they didn’t.
Nathan Cleary. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
“It was dire straits for a minute there but we’re never out of the fight, and that’s why I’m so proud of this group. As bad as things were looking, we work so hard for each other and when you do that, good things happen.”
Much as the lock heaped praise on Cleary, Turuva pointed to the messaging that coach Ivan Cleary and Yeo, as captain, had installed in the team – revealing that at the interval, the co-captain had told them to stick to their systems.
“Ivan said to start the second half like we started the first half – we did the total opposite!”
“Ezra Mam carved us up, but the boys never gave up. Yeoy said at the start of the game that we have to back the work we did in December.”
“I’ll enjoy this moment for the next couple of weeks and come preseason, we have to flush it. It’s all memories.”
Yeo himself never wavered in belief, and stuck to keeping the mood up as a leader.
“We wanted to play a little the same, complete well and grind the middle over, but we also had to play a bit freer,” he said.
“We were playing a little too sideways sometimes. We wanted to stay composed – obviously that didn’t happen to well! We had a few defensive breakdowns.
“But the talk behind in the huddle wasn’t too terrible, we still had belief. That helps – and you have to play footy as well. When things stick, that’s nice.
“When you’ve got momentum and you’re completing, but also playing footy, that’s when you win games.”
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
When Souths lost the 2021 GF to Penrith I never criticised of blamed Gerard Sutton.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
You complimented the referee, but you're now saying his actions were driven by an agenda. That must have been quite a post-game analysis to make such a reevaluation. I notice the favouritism you refer to tends to be towards the sides higher on the ladder. But those sides change; Penrith, for one, weren't in the upper echelon before the pandemic. Plus, the Roosters, as another example, have been in the most penalized sides each year, which seems a strange way to give favouritism. If I didn't know any better, I'd say all sides get their share of good and bad calls, but some sides finish high on the ladder because they're better than their opponents.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
You'd still blame them; that's my point.
blacktown leagues
Roar Rookie
None of those guys apart from jake played against 6ft 4in 100kg centres and staggs isn't Churchill Raper or Mortimer And by the way I watch plenty of footy Staggs goes high because the fend comes out and tries to get above it if he goes low just gets pushed off .You dont see legs tackles on a player of crichtons ability five out from the line he scores every time He beat three to score that try it didn't matter what Staggs did Crichton was going to score that try . But of course, you're the one with all the answers I believe JD is looking for an assistant send him your theories from roar you might get a run.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
You mustn't watch too many NRL games if you haven't seen tackles targeting the waist down. If you have the right technique a 6'4" player with a fend wouldn't stop a waist/legs tackle. Clive Churchill, Johnny Raper, Steve Mortimer, Jake T. et al.
blacktown leagues
Roar Rookie
I'm hearing you Andrew very similar to Flegler coming off for an HIA at the 22-minute mark around the same time he normally gets a spell. But how do you police it?
blacktown leagues
Roar Rookie
Hard to tackle around the waist when your 6ft 4in opponent with superior reach has got his mitt planted into your chest .Seriously you should be an nrl coach with your knowledge of the game and your ability to advise a bloke who has won six titles as a player and countless origins and internationals on how to prepare his team.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
What would the Dragons new title be Tony? 'Work In Progress' or 'Restructuring In Progress'? I think the 2nd acronym is more fitting. :laughing:
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Is that Adam Gee's nickname? 5 for his IQ. :laughing: Yeah, that joke only works with Ashley Klein. Sorry. :unhappy:
JoshW
Roar Rookie
It was a pure Western Sydney win. Proud of that - the team has definitely lifted the Riff. You see it in people's faces walking around the shops there. Life may be tough but you get to put that aside for a few days and celebrate the win. Lucky that people in the West will never feel this way about the Giants, when you live in the West you can smell a fake a mile off.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
The Yeo HIA was interesting, in the context of his comments around trusting the process etc. About 6 or 7 minutes into the second half he was spent. He had his hands on his hips in back play several times - very unlike him, but you can undesrtand it as it was a GF, the Bronocs came out after half time throwing everything at them etc. Soon after he ultimately missed his assignment on Mam in a fatigued tackle attempt. Then he tries to make the tackle on Hethrington (i think) where his head does get some shoulder contact and he is slow to get up. I don't doubt for a second he felt less than 100% after that contact given his fatigued state, but the trainer invoked HIA I think suited the Panthers. Gettting him off and saving an interchange allowed him to get back on the field for the last push where his link play contributed to Cleary and the space he had. That isn't a criticsm, we all know every club uses the HIA system to manipulate their interchanges. But it terms of sticking to the plan that would have had Yeo getting a spell and coming back in late, after they had been forced to make unplanned interchanges for Luai and Tago, it helped.
mushi
Roar Guru
And again… I responded to polymath not you. So not sure of the point of your rant.
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
I think Munster can see Mam tearing up behind him in the rear view mirror
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
It's probably time for a new title
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
Staggs is a wholehearted player who runs the ball hard, but is a terrible defender. Cobbo's worse.
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
Personally, I blame 5G
steveng
Roar Rookie
You just make things up, as I never said “that I had given up on league and wasn’t going to watch it anymore” where did you get that from? It just proves that you make things up, you clown!
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
That final defensive lapses from Walsh and Riki to leave the door open for Cleary was the difference. Also, an horrendous missed tackle from Staggs just before left the door open to start with.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
If you look at my post-game comment I actually complimented the referee. I reserve the right though to change the narrative to fit an agenda that adapts to the inequity of the system geared to favour a handful of teams. If the favouritism wasn't so evident and consistent I wouldn't raise an objection.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
The difference is that the media gave Souths that title. They didn't bestow it upon themselves.