Heartbreak of 2020 steels Cleary for NRL masterclass

Jasper Bruce | October 2, 2023

Nathan Cleary has credited Penrith’s heartbreaking 2020 grand final loss as preparing him for one of the NRL era’s great individual performances in the decider against Brisbane three years later.

The Panthers halfback set two tries up and scored another to help his side claw back from 24-8 down after 62 minutes on Sunday evening.

On the back of Cleary’s effort, Penrith won the decider at Accor Stadium 26-24 and celebrated their third grand final victory in as many years.

But the 25-year-old said if not for learning some harsh lessons on grand final day three years ago, he may never have been able to rouse the Panthers back into the contest.

The 2020 Panthers lost only one game on the road to the club’s first grand final appearance in 17 years but were outplayed on the big stage by a clinical Melbourne outfit. 

The Storm led 22-0 at the break that day and while Cleary and the Panthers fought back after halftime, they left their run too late and fell 26-20.

“I think my experience from the past, particularly that 2020 Storm grand final, helped me to be in the game at the end of this one,” Cleary said.

“Sometimes things feel s*** at the time, like they did in that 2020 game, but I think it’s made me who I am today.

“I wouldn’t say I was rattled (against Brisbane), I was probably disappointed with what I was doing. I mention that 2020 grand final again, I was rattled that night. I reckon that’s helped me in a moment like tonight.”

Cleary’s masterly showing was made all the more impressive by the fact Penrith lost his co-pilot Jarome Luai to a shoulder injury while they were down 24-8.

Around the same time, co-captain Isaah Yeo and second-rower Scott Sorensen left the field for head injury assessments as well.

The adversity played into the hands of Cleary and back-up playmaker Jack Cogger.

“It kind of felt like a free shot, to be honest. We had nothing to lose. We were in a grand final, we may as well play,” Cleary said.

“I give credit to ‘Cogs’, he came on with that mentality.”

The 2020 grand final came to coach Ivan Cleary’s mind as he reflected on his son’s performance post-match.

“The start of the second half (against Brisbane) wasn’t his best moments and I did see his face on the big screen after a try when he was coming back for a kick-off and I did think to myself, ‘He actually looks really clear’,” Cleary said.

“If you look at say, the 2020 grand final, he wasn’t. I thought, ‘At least that’s good news’.

“The lessons he’s learned gave him the clarity to be able to go, ‘Okay, now it is backs to the wall and now I’m going to go after it’.”