Jul 17th, 2017

Jul 17th, 2017

Channel Nine commentator Peter Sterling has lauded Nathan Cleary’s five-star performance against the New Zealand Warriors.

With the NSW Blues’ series loss to Queensland still fresh in the minds of league fans, Cleary provided a glimpse into the future of the Blues with his mastery against the Warriors.

Speaking on his weekly Sterlo’s Wrap-up video for Nine’s Wide World of Sports, Sterling said Cleary’s match-winning effort featured everything you could want from a halfback.

''He’s an obvious talent, and the thing you love about Nathan Cleary is his composure and his execution under pressure,’’ he said.

''The great quality of this performance is the way he led this side – minus Matt Moylan who is their most influential player – to a victory over the Warriors.

''Tries, [he] set up tries, his kicking game again spot on.’’

With Blues incumbent Mitchell Pearce one of a handful of players not expected to be picked again next year, Cleary’s name has been mentioned numerous times.

Cleary’s relative inexperience – he is 19-years-old and has played just 32 NRL games – appears the main sticking point to him assuming the No.7 jersey for next year’s Origin campaign.

Sterling, who was an advisor to Blues coach Laurie Daley for what ended a failed Blues campaign, said that once the air had cleared he would review the season.

''It’s a series NSW should have won, I have no doubt about that. We should have wrapped up game two, but the history books will tell us that wasn’t the case,’’ he said.

''I will have a look at the total Origin campaign in a little while, once things have all settled down.

''We will have to reconcile why we were so good for a game-and-a-half and why we couldn’t maintain that standard for the next game-and-a-half.’’

On an NRL front, Sterling said the recent improvement shown by the Gold Coast Titans suggested they were the team most likely to make a late run at the finals.

The Titans handled the torrential downpour and flooded pitch at Cbus Super Stadium far better than Cronulla in their 30-10 win on Saturday night.

''They are warming to the task, this Titans team,’’ Sterling said.

''This is a win against the premiers, granted they did have a lot of players backing up from State of Origin football and missing – James Maloney.

''But take nothing away from this performance from the Gold Coast Titans, they were clearly a dominant side [and] they handled the conditions beautifully.

'And it was orchestrated by one of the best young No.7s coming through in our game.’’

The No.7 Sterling speaks of is young halfback Ash Taylor, a player who sit alongside Cleary among a group of promising youngsters already proving themselves at NRL level.