Nathan Cleary's starring role in helping lead New South Wales to a series-clinching Origin win has split the Loose Carry NRL Podcast team amid discourse that the Penrith playmaker could be the game's greatest ever player.
Cleary was instrumental in the Game 3 victory at Suncorp, with the Blues' No.7 crowned the Wally Lewis Medal winner for his strong finish to the series, which included two tries in the 18-point win.
The performance has led to discussions surrounding whether Cleary should be in line for Immortal status, with the Loose Carry's Lee Addison bemused by the praise, believing more light should be shed on the performances of the Blues' forwards and Cleary's halves partner Mitchell Moses.
"He played well. But the absolute bonging on by the media that he's owned Origin, and some people are suggesting Immortal status, I think it's such dishonest appraisal," Addison said on this week's episode.
"It comes from a great place because people want to crown a king, but I think it's such an insult to people like Hudson Young, Liam Martin, Payne Haas and the whole New South Wales front pack.
"Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses can't do what they did without go forward. Anyone who has followed or been around rugby league knows that backs and halves can't do anything, or can't do as much, without go forward."
In retort, Zero Tackle reporter Magdalena Murdoch believes Cleary delivered on what most of his critics have been calling out for across his representative career, while believing the Blues forwards should simultaneously be on the receiving end of some praise alongside the star halfback.
"Two things can be true at once... People saying he dominated Origin or he was great doesn't then move Hudson Young and Liam Martin down in their greatness," Murdoch said.
"Of course, it's dominating discourse. It's the thing everyone has been waiting for: Can Nathan Cleary win an Origin decider at Suncorp? Is this the last thing he needs to unlock his game?
"Isn't that what we've been wanting? We've been wanting him to take what he's been so successful at at clubland and put it into a team where he doesn't feel like he has to do all this different stuff.
"What more does he need to do? Or do we look at what he hasn't done?"
