Nathan Cleary the man to stop Angus Crichton replacing Liam Martin in NSW Blues team

Nathan Cleary looms as the key man to helping prevent Penrith teammate Liam Martin from being the victim of the cruellest cut in State of Origin history.

While it is hard to justify making changes to the team that thrashed Queensland 50-6 in the series opener in Townsville, Martin’s place has come under threat from Sydney Roosters star Angus Crichton, after suspension ruled him out of Origin I and opened the door for Martin to make his Blues debut.

Now, Panthers halfback Cleary has the task of containing Crichton on the Roosters’ left edge when the teams clash at Penrith’s Bluebet Stadium on Friday night, which will go a long way to ensuring Martin won’t be a one-hit Origin wonder.

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“Getting that taste, it’s the arena I want to be in. It was such an incredible experience and once you get that sky blue jersey you don’t want to lose it,” Martin said.

“But I’ll leave that up to Freddy, I’m sure he’ll make the right decision.”

Martin impressed in his 30-minute cameo in Townsville, but Crichton is one of the best backrowers in the NRL and would have been a first-choice pick for Blues coach Brad Fittler.

“They both bring a presence,” said Cleary, who described the Martin-Crichton clash a “mouth-watering individual battle”.

“Angus is one of the best line-runners in the game, where Marto more brings that aggression where he can get under people’s skin.

“Angus will be out trying to get back into the team and, of course, he’s marking up on me, so I have to be the one tackling him so that’ll be a big challenge.”

The Panthers are coming off back-to-back losses and, while arrested their slide will be the main focus, it’s hard not to get caught up in the Blues’ back-row battle between two Temora products.

“(Crichton) is big, strong and mobile and he’ll be fired up and ready to go,” Martin said.

“I’m just going to go out there and play my best footy. (Securing a spot) isn’t really the aim, I just want to do what I can for Penrith to get the win.”

Crichton’s numbers are superior to Martin’s in 2021. He averages more run metres per game (125 to 96), linebreaks (five to four), tackle busts (38 to 25) and tackles per game (30.4 to 19.6).

However, Martin has been coming off the bench for much of the season and has switched between edge and middle, with his versatility having obvious appeal for Fittler.

This week, Martin will start in the second row after Viliame Kikau was injured, but the Panthers were tight-lipped about whether he would start on Kikau’s left edge, or the right — where he would directly oppose Crichton.

“Both are very tough and are suited to that arena with the way they play. That’s a great battle, it’ll be one of many across the park,” Panthers co-captain and Blues teammate Isaah Yeo said of the pair.

“But I’ve got to support my Penrith teammate — I hope he stays in there.”

Both Crichton and Martin are candidates to be the long-term replacement for former Blues skipper Boyd Cordner after he officially announced his retirement this week.

Cordner was Origin skipper for Cleary’s debut series in 2018 and the Panthers halfback was emotional when watching the Roosters legend’s press conference on Monday.

“It almost brought a tear to my eye. I think everyone has the utmost respect for Boydo, he’s a great leader and a great player and one of the most humble guys I’ve met even though he achieved so much in the game,” Cleary said.

“It was a pleasure to get to play under him and I’m hoping for the best for him in retirement.

“It’s all part of it, rugby league has been around for a long time and so have concussions, it’s just coming to light recently.

“It’s a sad thing to happen, he’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever seen play the game and it’s sad his career got cut short from it.

“But I think it’s something all rugby league players know comes with the territory, I guess.”

Temora twosome jostling for a Blues spot

By Dean Ritchie

This is State of Origin’s Temora shootout.

Angus Crichton v Liam Martin: Roosters v Panthers, 7.55pm, Friday, BlueBet Stadium, Penrith. To the victor will go a spot in the NSW side.

While Crichton was serving a suspension during Origin I – he was a certain Blues selection – Martin put in a strong 30-minute performance during NSW’s famous 50-6 win.

Blues coach Brad Fittler and his adviser Greg Alexander will now have to decide whether to draft Crichton into the team or stick with Martin for game two in Brisbane on June 27.

Adding intrigue to Friday night’s individual battle is that both players were born in Temora, the Riverina town with a population of just 6000.

Born in 1997, Martin, now 24, was educated at West Wyalong High School and played junior rugby league for the Temora Dragons. Born a year earlier, Crichton, now 25, played junior rugby league for the Young Cherrypickers.

Crichton is likely to reclaim his Blues spot but Martin will be pumped to muscle up and retain his bench position.

“In the absence of Boyd Cordner, Angus has certainly stepped up for the Roosters,” Alexander said.

“It was unfortunate what happened to him around Origin I because he just might have been the form backrower over the first 12 rounds of the comp.

“But Angus missed Origin I and when you get your chance, you grab it, and that’s certainly what Liam did and his 30 minutes on the field were very good.

“Liam has also been in good form for Penrith but hadn’t had a chance to play Origin but got that chance and was outstanding. It should be a good clash.”

Former NRL and Origin second-rower Scott Sattler was also anticipating a fierce battle between Crichton and Martin.

“I thought Angus Crichton was one of the best on the field in the Roosters-Titans game last weekend,” Sattler said.

“If you had to weigh them up against each then you’d probably go with Angus. He is the incumbent from last year, and based on his size and mobility.

“It depends whether you lose anything or gain anything by making a change and I don’t think you’d lose anything by putting Angus in there. If everyone was available for game one, Angus would have been in the backrow or on the bench.

“And going into game two at Suncorp, I think you need some familiarity with the landscape of Origin and that weighs in Angus’ favour.

“But I think Liam Martin is going to play plenty of Origin games in his career. I love his ‘I don’t care who you are’ attitude. I love how he rattles some cages.”

Sattler added: “I don’t think Suncorp has the aura that it used to.”

NSW will name their side on Sunday night for game two.

Fittler will have a nervous wait through the NRL’s final-round 15 game where Tom Trbojevic’s Manly side play Gold Cast at Cbus Stadium.

Sydney

Nick Campton is a rugby league and MMA writer for The Daily Telegraph.

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