The superb halfback down Parramatta's 4 top-grade titles of the 1980s, the legendary Peter Sterling, has delivered Penrith No.7 Nathan Cleary the eventual rap pursuing the Panthers' 2021 NRL expansive last win.
Cleary was superb successful the Panthers' 14-12 triumph implicit the Rabbitohs successful Brisbane, starring Penrith with his adept kicking crippled en way to being crowned the victor of the Clive Churchill Medal.
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Even arsenic a wholehearted protagonist of the Eels, Sterling said it "hurt" watching the Rabbitohs suffer successful the manner they did.
But his praise for Cleary was tremendous aft the 23-year-old playmaker guided the Panthers to their archetypal NRL premiership since 2003.
"He was fantastic, helium was the champion subordinate connected the tract and I thought helium kicked South Sydney into submission," Sterling said connected Nine's post-match show.
"Got it close successful the archetypal 40 minutes. Came up with 5 acceptable restarts. These expansive finals – they're won by pressure. I thought isolated from the missed tackle for Cody Walker's try helium was beauteous overmuch faultless.
"You request a chill head, you request a No.7 to cognize however to grip these situations and I conscionable thought helium got everything truthful close tonight."
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Sterling pointed retired that Cleary had been exposed to the toughest of tests aboriginal successful his career, alluding to his 10 State of Origin games with NSW and last year's unsuccessful NRL decider.
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"He's 23! He's inactive learning the game," Sterling said.
"But he's experienced truthful overmuch astatine a young age. He's gone done Origin series, he's been nether unit arsenic a young subordinate with truthful overmuch expectation. But he's a implicit footballer."
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Cleary became conscionable the 2nd Panthers subordinate to win a Clive Churchill Medal, pursuing successful the way of 2003 victor Luke Priddis.
Penrith bushed Canberra successful the 1991 NSWRL expansive final, but Raiders fastener Bradley Clyde took retired the apical idiosyncratic honour successful that game.
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