‘Dangerous' Nathan Cleary sight called out amid brutal Panthers downfall

News.com.au

30-04-2025

The Panthers have 'lost their hard edge' and 'swagger' which has resulted in their downfall and ultimately Ivan Cleary's outfit slipping out of the 2025 premiership race.
That is according to rugby league legends Braith Anasta and Gorden Tallis, who both admitted they don't believe the four-time premiers will compete for a title this season.
What's more, a worrying trend has been exposed in the Panthers' attack, with Nathan Cleary drifting across the field with a lack of options.
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'Nathan specifically here, I find those cross shapes, I find them dangerous... what it starts to do to playmakers in the long-term,' Matty Johns said on Matty and Cronk.
'You start to get in that mode of going across and you start to lose that upfield punch.'
While Cooper Cronk added: 'They are trying to do the same things and replicate the same style with some players not being able to do it as well as.
'It is forcing some of their better players to try and do a lot more. They look frustrated at the moment.
'With Cleary when your hips are East-West as opposed to North-South, you become less effective as a ball player.
'You can run across the field four or five times, but you need to then get your hips back square to the defensive line and then be able to move.'
Anasta, who spent 245 games in the No.6 jersey, explained that exact move is one playmakers revert to when they are lacking options in the backline.
'At the moment they lack confidence, lack belief. They've lost players and they just don't have that punch, so that set-up play is not as effective,' Anasta said on NRL360 on Wednesday night.
'When I was out of form as a half, that was the play I went to...It's easy, a drop off, and you do that when you don't have as many options.'
Cleary's options have come limited after the departures of a host of big-name stars, with Jarome Luai and James Fisher-Harris departing ahead of the 2025 season.
In years gone by, Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, Api Koroisau and Stephen Crichton have also moved on, with all of those players winning premierships at the Panthers.
Now Penrith sit with only two wins from eight games, with a mammoth task ahead of them to keep their hopes of a fifth straight premiership alive.
'They've lost so much talent, I believe they used to run that play but they had better options,' Tallis said.
'I think they've lost that real hard edge they had... they aren't as hard as they used to be for 80 minutes.'
Fox League's James Hooper echoed the opinion of both Anasta and Tallis, explaining the Panthers have a different attitude in 2025.
The 'arrogance' of the Panthers between 2021 and 2024 seems to have evaporated, with a host of big-name stars unable to inspire their team to victory.
'They were a side who had a lot of attitude, had a lot of confidence and even a little bit of arrogance and a swagger. Luai would walk in with the boom box blaring,' Hooper said.
'They were an intimidating side to come up against. With all the players that they've lost, they've lost a little bit of that being the side every other team feared.'
The Panthers have also featured in the past five grand finals, losing to the Storm in 2020 in a season that kicked off their dynasty.
However, with such an elite level of performances across an extended period, comes a fatigued squad.
'I think they are mentally fatigued... to stay up for that long, it's almost inhumane. To be as great as they were for as long as they were,' Anasta said.
'When you've won a comp, to back it up the next year is hard enough let alone to do it for four.
'I hadn't lost hope in the Panthers and I kept saying every week they will be alright. But after the weekend, finally I don't think they can win the premiership this year.'
Penrith's form has also cast the spotlight on a host of players in the frame for Origin selection, with Nathan Cleary battling for a spot in the NSW halves.
'If the Panthers continue the way they are, it's a big call to remove the incumbents,' Anasta said.
'These two (Jarome Luai and Mitchell Moses) were some of the best on the field... it becomes a question that may have not been a question a few months ago.'
However, both Tallis and The Daily Telegraph's David Riccio poured cold water on any suggestions Cleary doesn't slot back into the No.7 jersey.
'It's a headache, not a migraine. You boys are pretending it's a big migraine,' Tallis said.
'It's a toss up on who plays No.6.'
Riccio added: 'He walks straight into the Blues jumper, it's not even a question. He's the best halfback in the game.'
However, Anasta pointed to Queensland's selection mentality, claiming that those north of the border would pick and stick with Luai and Moses.
'Queensland are the opposite, they would pick and stick. They have a winning combination there that won last year's series,' Anasta said.
'Cleary is arguably the best player in the comp, but he hasn't done that at Origin level... we are going to change a winning combination for a player who hasn't won that much at NSW level.'