Nathan Cleary, a star player for the Penrith Panthers, has expressed his admiration for the team’s new recruit, Blaize Talagi, as they prepare to face each other this weekend. Cleary has been thoroughly impressed by Talagi, who could potentially become his halves partner next year. The Panthers, known for their strong youth development, made a rare move by signing the young talent from the Parramatta Eels, which could prove to be a significant acquisition for their ongoing success.
The Eels recently announced that the 19-year-old Talagi would be leaving the club at the end of the current NRL season, having reportedly signed a lucrative three-year deal with the Panthers worth approximately $1.5 million. While the Panthers cannot officially confirm Talagi’s signing until after the mandatory 10-day cooling-off period, it is widely expected to be a mere formality.
With the mid-season departure of Taylan May, the Panthers may choose to play Talagi in the outside backs next season, a position he has frequently occupied for the Eels in recent months. However, the Panthers also have a wealth of talent in their ranks, including NSW Under-19 representative brothers Casey and Jesse McLean. Casey McLean, in particular, has been impressive in recent weeks, stepping up for Penrith’s first-grade side in place of Paul Alamoti, while Jesse is on the verge of earning a call-up.
Given the Panthers’ depth of genuine first-grade talent, Talagi might find himself stepping into the role of five-eighth, replacing Jarome Luai, who will be leaving for the Wests Tigers at the end of 2024. Cleary is enthusiastic about the prospect of playing alongside the “very exciting” Talagi but admits he has not yet given much thought to their potential partnership in the halves. For now, Cleary remains focused on winning a fourth consecutive premiership alongside his current halves partner, Luai.
“(Talagi) is a great player, only 19 years old. He’s a very exciting talent,” Cleary remarked. “I haven’t thought about (our halves combination) too much, obviously we’ve still got ‘Romey’ (Luai) here and I want to enjoy the moments with him as they’re coming to an end. But I think just the confidence for a young guy to come into first grade and play the way Blaize is in multiple positions, it’s very impressive.”
Cleary, who has been in exceptional form since returning from a long-term hamstring injury, has been a key player for the Panthers. He most recently scored the decisive try in their 22-14 victory over Newcastle and has been consistently strong in recent weeks, with four tries and several assists to his name in the last two matches.
Hamstring injuries can be notoriously difficult to manage, but Cleary credits his success to a revised training regimen and a focus on mental preparation. He has adapted his routine by reducing some physical aspects, particularly kicking, and increasing his focus on hamstring load management and high-speed running. Additionally, Cleary has turned to mental training techniques, such as visualization, to maintain his performance.
“I probably had to refrain from a lot of the kicking stuff, but then I’m probably doing more in other areas just around the hammy, sort of load and high-speed running,” he explained. “I’ve turned a lot more to the mental side and trying to nail that and visualisation, rather than so much physical reps all the time.”
Cleary is committed to maintaining his routine and avoiding complacency, recognizing the importance of staying focused on his training and not becoming too comfortable with his current level of play. “I’m just trying to stick to that routine and not get comfortable with playing footy and not getting comfortable with the fact that it (the hamstring) is all right now,” he added.
As Cleary continues to excel on the field, the Panthers’ future looks bright, with the potential addition of Talagi further strengthening their already formidable squad. The combination of experienced players like Cleary and promising young talents like Talagi could ensure that the Panthers remain a dominant force in the NRL for years to come.
