Westpac NSW Blues five-eighth Mitchell Moses has declared Nathan Cleary will act as the primary playmaker as the pair prepare to unite in the halves for the first time in next week’s State of Origin opener.
Both Moses and Cleary are ball-dominant halves for their clubs, with questions being raised about their ability to complement each other on the field.
With Cleary out injured, Moses took control to lead NSW to a stunning series victory last year. The halfback was man of the match in a Game Two rout before he scored the match-sealing try in the decider at Suncorp Stadium.
The playmaker will take on a new role when he wears the No.6 jumper in his return to the venue next week. Rather than being disappointed about the positional shift, Moses declared he’s excited by the freedom to roam that comes with playing five-eighth.
“He’s the seven,” Moses said. “That excites me a fair bit. I was playing five-eighth at the Tigers in the early days but I haven’t played like that for a while.
“So that excites me to play with a dominant halfback and I can just pick my opportunities.”
Moses’ selection was one of the toughest calls NSW coach Laurie Daley had to make, with the Parramatta playmaker winning the nod over incumbent five-eighth Jarome Luai.
The decision came down to form verses existing partnerships. Moses has been superb since his return from a foot injury in Round 7 and has an elite kicking game, while Luai has struggled in recent weeks.
The playmaker’s partnership with Cleary is a proven success after they combined to claim four-straight premierships at the Panthers before Luai’s off-season move to the Wests Tigers.
Daley ultimately opted for the in-form Moses, with next week’s clash the first time he will partner Cleary in the halves.
The halfback recognises there may be a steep learning curve but he’s confident a week in camp is all they need to establish a winning connection.
“It’s about us working out how we want to get the ball and in which situations,” Cleary said. “Having a kicking game on both sides of the ruck helps [the team]. It’s about complementing each other’s game and making sure we’re bringing the best out of each other.
“At the end of the day, you want to put your best foot forward for the team and egos won’t get in the way so it’s not something I’m worried about.”
Cleary is considered by many the best rugby league player in the world, having led the Panthers to premiership glory, claimed State of Origin series victories and won a World Cup with the Kangaroos.
He was widely expected to reclaim the Blues No.7 jumper if he remained healthy leading into the series.
The 27-year-old, however, concedes he was nervous about selection after watching Luai and Moses combine to lead NSW to victory. Now he’s back in the team, Cleary is determined to make the most of his opportunity.
“It’s hard to look past those two and what they did last year,” he said. “It’s such tough circumstances after losing Game One and then having to go to Queensland for Game Three.
“I’m very grateful I got the call up and I have to progress on what they did last year and try to go again.”
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