Cleary masterclass leads Panthers to barnstorming win over Roosters

Nathan Cleary has warmed up for State of Origin II with another masterclass, leading Penrith to a 38-12 thrashing of the Sydney Roosters.

Amid questions of how he would rebound after Origin I, Cleary appeared to have the ball on a string in arguably his finest performance of the year on Friday.

Nathan Cleary returned in style on Friday night. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Penrith halfback effectively booted the Roosters out of the match with his kicking game, while also setting up two tries and scoring one.

But the night wasn’t without drama, with Roosters prop Siosiua Taukeiaho sin-binned in the first half for clocking a slipping Cleary high.

Referee Ashley Klein claimed there was “no mitigating factors” in the high shot, despite Cleary falling significantly on the wet Penrith turf.

“I don’t know where Siosiua was supposed to go,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.

“Was he supposed to jump out of the way. I’m interested in what he was supposed to do.

“I think the NRL needs to explain what happens in those incidents. What do they want him to do?”

The decision helped the Panthers swing the match in their favour, going from 12-6 down to 20-6 up while Taukeiaho was off the field.

And Cleary was at the centre of all of it, still sporting a bloodshot right eye after friendly fire in the Origin opener cut him open.

After the Panthers went down 12-0 early, he pounced on Penrith’s first attacking opportunity when he grubbered on the third tackle for a chasing Stephen Crichton to score.

Jarome Luai and Matt Burton then put Brian To’o over to level the scores, before their next try proved to be the pick of the night.

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After the Roosters failed to find touch from a penalty, the Panthers spread it the width of the field before Spencer Leniu busted through coming back the other way.

From the next play Cleary dummied his way back across to the left for Burton to straighten up and step his way through, before an-out-in-front ball put To’o over.

That came as part of seven straight sets for the Panthers, as Cleary completely dominated the game.

In the 20 minutes before the break Penrith had an incredible 94 per cent of the ball, with Cleary forcing three dropouts in as many sets.

The No.7 then put Isaah Yeo over after the break when the Penrith lock straightened and brushed his way through.

And he had one of his own when he chased through on his own bomb and scooped up a loose ball to force his way over.

“In terms of confidence, it’s the highest in his career,” coach Ivan Cleary said.

“He is seeing the game better. It takes a while for the game to slow down, the good news is we are probably three or four years away from his best.”

Liam Martin also chased everything, with NSW coach Brad Fittler revealing midway through the match that Manly’s Jake Trbojevic was injured, effectively ensuring Martin and Angus Crichton would be in the Blues’s squad for next Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Roosters’ record against the competition’s top sides remains a concern, now 0-4 against fellow top-five teams.