State Of Origin: How Cleary & Moses Can Work Together

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As if State of Origin impacted games in a reduced schedule isn’t bad enough, the weather in Sydney is causing havoc for most of the NRL this weekend. Who knows what Auckland will dish up on Sunday evening, too.

So, with the Origin teams announced and plenty to talk about there, I’m looking ahead to next Wednesday night and how two elite #7’s can work together as one halves pairing.

Both Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses have spoken about their willingness and ability to play in a second-fiddle five-eighth role. It sounds like classic footy chat spoken by two experienced players capable of being in front of the camera and knowing how to say the right things at the right time. However, there is every reason to believe these two elite halfbacks can form one of the most potent halves pairings in State of Origin history.

Splitting The Touches

Cleary is one of the most ball-dominant halves in the NRL. Where some halves will guide their team around the field by pointing players to spots, Cleary passes his teammates to where he wants them to be. Importantly, he passes them at who he wants to be involved defensively.

He’s a master in manipulating the line, pushing players to spots they wouldn’t always defend, or pulling them out of shape with his tempo, deception and guile.

While we can make these discussions more difficult than they need to be at times, how Cleary and Moses split the touches will, more than likely, be fairly simple.

Cleary himself has said he will be the chief playmaker. It’s his greatest strength as a half and puts the Blues in the best position to maximise their new pairing. However, he also mentioned that there will be times when “we have to step up, whoever is around the ball.”

This won’t be your typical seven and six partnership. While Cleary might be the first look for Reece Robson at dummy half, Moses will have plenty of say on where the ball goes.

Shortside Raids

Moses profiles well as a halfback who can slot straight into playing as a five-eighth.

His greatest strengths are his running game and his speed. What has allowed him to become a top-tier half with traits often attributed to the best five-eighths in our game is his ability to ball-play and make decisions at speed. Cleary mentioned numerous times throughout his interview on Fox that their smarts together excite him.

Moses takes the line on and is particularly dangerous down short sides.

Combine that with his smarts, and you see him swing late down a shortside to dribble one in for his winger.

Reece Walsh switched off for a second, but that’s all Moses needed to lay one on a plate for Brian To’o in Game 2 last year.

When you’ve got Isaah Yeo and Cleary holding the long side of the field and acting as the indicator for Kalyn Ponga while he organises his splits, Moses is quick enough to swing to both sides - either on the second layer of a long shift, or as first receiver down a short side.

We’ve Seen Cleary Do This Before…

It’s not as though Cleary doesn’t have a lot of experience playing on the second layer of a shift. He does so regularly behind Yeo at the Penrith Panthers, who often fills the middle service role, engaging and holding up defenders around the ruck.

However, one game springs to mind as an example of Cleary playing a traditional five-eighth role and dominating in doing so…

Cleary took on a different role in the Panthers’ attack as they completed the greatest comeback in NRL Grand Final history. With Jarome Luai off the field and Jack Cogger slotting into the halves, Cleary played more of a five-eighth role.

You can see here in the build-up to Moses Leota’s try that Cleary has swung over to the left outside Cogger.

With a license to roam in concert with his footy IQ, Cleary is able to identify opportunities in the line.

With Luke Garner able to break the first tackle and track back across the field, he reintroduces the Broncos’ left edge into the play. They’d already started to track back but were forced up late. As a result, they’re slow to get off their line around the ruck, and Cleary is in position to make the most of the extra number out wide.

Assuming Cleary is fixed on the right edge and Moses on the left, it’s easy to picture Cleary “step up” here and take on the role of first receiver with Moses roaming on the second layer, or vice versa.

It’s more of the same later for the second try. Cleary doesn’t need to do a lot, but that’s the benefit. He’s moving at speed and in space with shape around him. That’s a recipe for disaster for any defence in rugby league.

Again, let's put Latrell Mitchell in that spot for Stephen Crichton…

Cleary will end up as one of the best traditional halfbacks in NRL history when it’s all said and done, but his most iconic moment to date came down a left edge shortside in a five-eighth spot.

He is again on the second layer in the buildup as the Panthers look to strike. When James Fisher-Harris charges at the line just inside the tap line, Jack Cogger positions himself on the long side with Cleary holding the short side.

Reece Walsh has a tough decision to make with Cogger, Yeo, and Dylan Edwards shaped up to his left, and Cleary alone and numbered up on his right. Cleary is too good to be left with even numbers too often, and with Mitch Kenny’s elite work from dummy half to wrong-foot Jordan Riki at marker, Cleary is able to bounce off his left foot to score.

I’ve not seen any confirmation of which side the two halves will line up on, but it makes most sense that Cleary will defend alongside Liam Martin and Crichton on the right edge, leaving Moses on the left. Regardless, I expect to see both spot up in a middle service role, with the other sweeping on either side.