Stories of Origin: Nathan Cleary’s Masterclass | Season 5 Premiere
4/26/202626 min
He was at his lowest ebb - then he delivered perfection.
Welcome to Season 5 of Stories of Origin. as we sit down with the true icons of the game to explore the single Origin match that defined their legacy.
We are kicking off this series with a bang. Rugby league’s greatest player, Nathan Cleary, joins us to dissect his favourite Origin game: his absolute masterclass in game two of the 2022 series in Perth.
It was a performance that silenced the critics and showcased the resilience required to thrive at this level. Nathan takes us inside the intense pressure of that series, revealing how he channelled the disappointment of a 16-10 home loss in game one - against a Queensland side inspired by the champion Cameron Munster, to orchestrate the defining high point of his Origin career.
It’s an intimate, tactical, and honest look at what it takes to own the toughest arena in rugby league.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsBilly Slater· Soundbite0:00
[gentle music] Nine podcasts Sometimes you think you've got the game of rugby league all sorted out, and it drags you right back down to earth pretty quickly.
Speaker 30:14
Some of those New South Wales blokes better have a look at themselves in the mirror. They forgot they were meant to be playing football. Cleary was getting monstered. It was just embarrassing.
Nathan Cleary· Guest0:27
Our Panthers were playing pretty well to start that 2022 season, and then you, you go into the Origin arena with a lot of confidence and you just don't play the game you wanted.
Matthew Thompson· Host0:39
In the rooms, Nathan Cleary was in a dark place. Losing is not something he's familiar with.
Nathan Cleary· Guest0:46
It's disappointing. Um, you know, I, I definitely didn't play the way I wanted to and, um, you know, I need to be better for the team and for the States.
Speaker 50:52
Every time Origin is played, they put the player ratings out, but in this case, the highest score was given to Cameron Munster, and a relatively low score, I see in The Telegraph's, been given to Nathan Cleary.
Speaker 61:06
I think Cleary's probably the best kicker in the game, but that wasn't evident tonight.
Speaker 51:10
No.
Speaker 61:11
He got, he got monstered. They put a lot of pressure on him tonight, but his kicking game wasn't at the standard you'd normally expect from a player of his caliber.
Nathan Cleary· Guest1:18
I was so disappointed with myself.
Matthew Thompson· Host1:22
Hello, and welcome to Series 5 of Stories of Origin. I'm Matthew