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| Born | (1997-11-14)14 November 1997 (age 28) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 92 kg (14 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Halfback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 8 November 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father | Ivan Cleary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Jason Death (uncle) Josh Stuart (uncle) Jett Cleary (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nathan Cleary (born 14 November 1997) is an Australian professionalrugby league footballer who co-captains and plays as ahalfback for thePenrith Panthers in theNRL. Widely considered one of the best players in the modern era, Cleary washalfback in five consecutive grand finals from2020-2024. He was co-captain in four straight grand finals wins (2021,2022,2023,2024). He received theClive Churchill Medal in2021 and2023, as well as winningDally M Halfback of The Year in both2020 and2021. He also vice-captained NSW from 2020-2023.
He has representedAustralia at international level, winning the2022 Rugby League World Cup. He representedCity NSW in 2017.
Cleary is the son of coach and former professional rugby league footballerIvan Cleary who coaches him at the Penrith Panthers.[3]
Cleary was born inSydney, New South Wales, Australia.
He spent a number of his childhood years living inAuckland, New Zealand while his father was playing for, and later coaching, theNew Zealand Warriors. He attendedSacred Heart College, Auckland for two years and, having grown up playingsoccer, Cleary switched to rugby league during his pre-teens, playing at a junior level for theMount Albert Lions in Auckland and thePenrith Brothers in Sydney.[4][5] He completed hisHSC while attendingSt Dominic's College, Penrith in 2015, where he was aprefect.[6]
Cleary is of Croatian and Ukrainian descent.[7][8] He is the nephew ofJosh Stuart andJason Death.[9]
Cleary progressed through the Penrith club's junior system, playing in theirHarold Matthews Cup (under 16)[10] andS. G. Ball Cup (under 18) teams, the latter of which he captained in 2015.
He appeared for theWindsor Wolves in theRon Massey Cup andSydney Shield in a handful of games,[11][12] before being called into Penrith'sNational Youth Competition (under 20) squad mid-season.[6] Cleary was unavailable to play in Penrith's 2015 NYC Grand Final winning team due to his selection in theAustralian Schoolboys team,[13] whom he captained during their two match series against New Zealand under-18s.[14] Cleary played 20 games, scoring 11 tries and kicking 109 goals for 262 points in his U20s career from 2015 to 2016.[15]
Starting the season as Penrith's first-choice halfback in the NYC, Cleary was selected to play for theJunior Kangaroos against theJunior Kiwis in May, where he played at five-eighth scoring a try and kicking 5 goals in the 34-20 win.[16] He made hisNew South Wales Cup debut for the Penrith club in round 11, the only game he'd play in that competition in 2016.[17][18] On 2 June, He extended his contract with the Panthers until the end of the 2019 season;[17] his decision to do so voided a 'father-son' clause in his contract, which would have allowed him to leave the club following his father's dismissal as Penrith's head coach late the previous year, had he so pleased.[19]
Two days after the signing, in round 13, Cleary made hisNRL debut for thePenrith Panthers against theMelbourne Storm at five-eighth. Despite a 6-24 defeat atAAMI Park, Cleary had a great debut; making 38 tackles.[20][21][22] The next week against theManly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Cleary scored his first NRL try, as well as kicking five goals in Penrith's 31-24 win atBrookvale Oval.[23] Following a man of the match performance against theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs in round 15,The Daily Telegraph said of Cleary: "[it's] hard to believe he is only 18 playing his third NRL game. Composed under pressure, kicked well and supported inside for a crucial second half try."[24]
After the departure of seasoned halfJamie Soward andPeter Wallace shifting to hooker, Cleary remained at halfback for the rest of the season.[25] He was in the race for the rookie of the year award, but lost to theGold Coast Titans halfback,Ashley Taylor.[26][27] He finished his debut season with 3 tries and 52 goals from 15 matches. He was the Penrith club's highest point-scorer with 116 points. Cleary was rewarded with being named in the emergingNSW Blues squad.[28]
Cleary was named in Penrith's squad for the2017 NRL Auckland Nines.[29] On 1 May, Cleary was named in the NSW City Origin representative team to play in the last ever City vs Country game.[30]
He finished the season as highest pointscorer in theNRL with a total of 228 points, the youngest player to achieve this since 1913. He played in all 26 games for the Penrith club, scoring 11 tries and kicking 92 goals. Cleary also became the youngest player ever to score 200 points in a season.[31]
Cleary started the 2018 season as possibly the NRL's form player before suffering a knee injury in Round 3 againstCanterbury-Bankstown where Penrith lost 20-18 atANZ Stadium.[32] While he was out with the injury, Cleary was still leading in contention for the halfback spot for New South Wales. Cleary made his return to the field in Round 11 against his father's team theWests Tigers, where he helped steer the Penrith club to a 16-2 victory atPenrith Stadium.[33] In his next performance in Round 12 against table toppers theSt George Illawarra Dragons, Cleary earned his spot in theNew South Wales squad after a fine match, scoring a try as Penrith won convincingly 28-2 atPenrith Stadium.[34]
On 6 June 2018, Cleary made his debut for New South Wales in Game 1 of the2018 State of Origin series againstQueensland, starting at halfback in the 22-12 win at theMCG.[35][36] Later that week, he kicked the match winning field goal in Penrith's 23–22 win overCanberra atGIO Stadium.[37] He played in all 3 Origin games that year for the Blues at halfback.
In the opening rounds of the 2019 season, Cleary had been criticized by sections of the media and fans for Penrith's underwhelming start to the season. In Round 4, Cleary kicked a goal from the sideline after the final siren to send their game against theWests Tigers into extra time. Cleary then kicked a 40 metre field goal to win the game for Penrith 9-8.[38][39]
On 27 May, Cleary was selected at halfback for New South Wales in Game 1 of the2019 State of Origin series despite his lacklustre start to the year and with Penrith only managing 2 wins from their first 9 games. Despite New South Wales losing the first game, Cleary was retained for the second game in Perth which New South Wales won 38-6 atPerth Stadium.[40][41]
In Round 18 against St George, Cleary scored a try and kicked 6 goals as Penrith won the match 40-18 atPenrith Park.[42]
In round 25, the final game of the year, Cleary scored 4 tries and kicked 9 goals in their 54-10 victory over Newcastle. In this game Cleary scored 34 points to have the 2nd most points scored in a single game in theNRL. Cleary put on a master class despite this game having no impact on the finals as Penrith finished a disappointing 10th.[43]
In round 12, Cleary scored one try and kicked seven goals as Penrith defeated Manly 42–12 atBrookvale Oval.[44]
In the 2020 qualifying final against theSydney Roosters, Cleary scored ahat-trick and kicked a field goal in Penrith's 29–28 victory.[45]
Cleary was fined $10,000 by the NRL on 28 April 2020 after breaking isolation protocols during theCOVID-19 pandemic when a photo of him at his home with a group of women onAnzac Day was uploaded to social media.[46] A video of the event contradicted his apology, so he received a two-match ban as well as a $30,000 fine.[47]
Cleary played a total of 21 games for Penrith in the2020 NRL season including thegrand final. He threw a pass in the first half of the match which was intercepted by Melbourne wingerSuliasi Vunivalu who raced away to score a try at a pivotal moment in the game, but scored a last minute try and kicked two goals in the 26–20 loss.[48]
Cleary was selected by New South Wales for the2020 State of Origin series. He played poorly in the game 1 loss, withAndrew Johns calling for him to be dropped.[49]Roy Masters said, "Cleary has a weakness and the Maroons have identified it. Cleary's below-par performances in the NRL grand final and the first State of Origin match are directly related to the pressure imposed on his kicking game."[50] He was awarded man of the match in game 2 of the series, where he was praised for his exceptional kicking game,[51] but another loss in game 3 saw a shock 2-1 series defeat.[52] He said after, "2020 as a whole has been a roller coaster, really. I've ridden the highs and lows. I've lost some pretty big games in the last month."[53]
In round 10, Cleary scored ahat-trick and kicked eight goals in Penrith's 48-12 victory over theGold Coast.[54] The following week, he scored two tries and kicked ten goals in Penrith's 56-12 victory over South Sydney.[55]
Cleary kicked eight goals for New South Wales in the opening game of the2021 State of Origin series as they defeated Queensland 50-6.[56][57]
On 30 June, it was announced Cleary would be unable to play for an indefinite period after suffering a shoulder injury.[58] In round 22, he made his return to the Penrith team in a 34-16 victory overSt. George Illawarra.[59]
Cleary played a total of 20 games for Penrith in the2021 NRL season including the club's2021 NRL Grand Final victory overSouth Sydney. Cleary was awarded theClive Churchill Medal for being man of the match.[60] He was also named Dally M Halfback of the year.[61]
On 19 October, Cleary was handed a proposed $7000 fine by theNRL and a breach notice which alleges that he acted contrary to the best interests of the game after he was photographed on social media acting in a disrespectful manner toward the NRL Telstra Premiership Trophy. Although Cleary nor any of the Penrith players had broken the trophy, the NRL alleges Cleary and teammateStephen Crichton showed disrespect towards the individuals depicted in the iconic moment memorialised on the Trophy.[62]
On 29 May, Cleary was selected by New South Wales to play in game one of the2022 State of Origin series.[63]
In round 14 of the2022 NRL season, Cleary scored a try and kicked seven goals in Penrith's 42-6 victory overNewcastle.[64]
In game 2 of the2022 State of Origin series, Cleary scored two tries and kicked eight goals in New South Wales 44-12 victory over Queensland.[65]
In game 3, New South Wales were behind 16-12 against Queensland with less than two minutes remaining when Cleary elected a chip kick over the top of the defensive line which was intercepted by Queensland's Ben Hunt who ran 70 metres to score the match winning try.[66]In round 20, Cleary was sent off in Penrith's 34-10 loss againstParramatta for a dangerous lifting tackle.[67]
On 30 July, Cleary was suspended for five games over the tackle which meant he would miss the remainder of the 2022 regular season.[68]
In the 2022 Qualifying Final, Cleary returned to the Penrith side and put in a man of the match performance in the club's 27-8 victory overParramatta.[69]
Cleary played for 17 games for Penrith throughout the year including their2022 NRL Grand Final victory overParramatta.[70]
In October he was named in theAustralia squad for the2021 Rugby League World Cup.[71] In the second match of Australia's2021 Rugby League World Cup campaign, Cleary made his debut for Australia scoring one try and kicking 12 goals during an 84-0 victory over Scotland.[72] Cleary played for Australia in their 2021 Rugby League World Cup final victory over Samoa.[73]
On 18 February, Cleary played in Penrith's 13-12 upset loss toSt Helens RFC in the2023 World Club Challenge.[74]In round 4 of the2023 NRL season, Cleary kicked a two-point field goal from 40 metres out with seconds remaining to tie the game between Penrith and Parramatta at 16-16. Penrith would go on to lose the match 17-16 in golden point extra-time.[75]The following week, Cleary scored one try, kicked eight goals and one field goal in Penrith's 53-12 victory over Canberra.[76]
In round 6, Cleary scored two tries and kicked seven goals in Penrith's 44-12 victory over Manly.[77]In round 7, Cleary kicked two field goals including the winner during Penrith's 16-15 golden point extra-time victory over Newcastle.[78]On 22 May, Cleary was selected by New South Wales for game one of the2023 State of Origin series.[79]
In round 14, Cleary was taken from the field during Penrith's 26-18 victory over St. George Illawarra with a leg injury. It was later announced that Cleary would be ruled out for up to six weeks with a torn hamstring.[80]In round 21, Cleary made his return to the Penrith side in their 44-18 victory over Canterbury.[81]
In the 2023 preliminary final, Cleary scored a try and kicked seven goals in Penrith's dominant 38-4 victory over Melbourne.[82]
Cleary played 22 matches for Penrith in the 2023 NRL season including the club's 26-24 victory over Brisbane in the2023 NRL Grand Final as Penrith won their third straight premiership. Cleary won the Clive Churchill medal as man of the match after he inspired the Penrith side to come back from a 16 point deficit with less than 20 minutes to go, the largest successful Grand Final turnaround of NRL history despite suffering a grade 3 torn PCL in the ninth minute of the match. With star team-matesJarome Luai (shoulder),Isaah Yeo andScott Sorensen (both HIA) forced from the field, Cleary remarkably orchestrated the comeback effort with involvements in all three tries. He assistedMoses Leota (62 mins) andStephen Crichton (67 mins), before scoring the winning try himself with less than three minutes remaining.[83]
On 24 February, Cleary played in Penrith's2024 World Club Challenge final loss against theWigan Warriors. Cleary scored a try during the first half of the match.[84]
On 25 March, it was announced that Cleary would be ruled out for a month with a hamstring injury.[85] On 12 May it was announced that Cleary would again be ruled out for eight weeks after he re-injured his hamstring in Penrith's round 10 win against Canterbury.[86][87]
In round 20, Cleary made his return to the Penrith team and kicked a two-point field goal in golden point extra-time as they defeated theDolphins 28–26.[88]
The following week, Cleary scored a hat-trick and kicked seven goals in Penrith's 46–10 victory over St. George Illawarra. In round 24, Cleary suffered a shoulder injury in Penrith's narrow loss to Melbourne and was ruled out for an indefinite period.[89]
Cleary made his return to the Penrith lineup in their 30–10 qualifying final victory over the Sydney Roosters.[90]
Cleary played a total of 13 matches for Penrith in the 2024 NRL season including the clubs 14–6 grand final victory over the Melbourne Storm.[91]
In May, Cleary was selected by New South Wales ahead of game one in the 2025 State of Origin series.
In round 7 of the2025 NRL season, Cleary became Penrith's all-time record point scorer during the clubs 40–12 victory over the Sydney Roosters.[92]
Cleary played in all three games of the 2025 State of Origin series which New South Wales were widely tipped to win against Queensland. New South Wales would lose the series 2-1 with many criticising Cleary for his inability to take control of the team and for the fact the player had lost four deciding games against Queensland.[93]
Cleary played a total of 22 games for Penrith in the 2025 NRL season as the club finished 7th on the table. Cleary played in Penrith's narrow preliminary final loss against Brisbane.[94]
Individual
Penrith Panthers
New South Wales
Australia
| † | Denotes seasons in which Cleary won anNRL Premiership |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |  Penrith | 15 | 3 | 53 | 80.30% | 0 | 118 |
| 2017 | 26 | 11 | 92 | 90.20% | 0 | 228 | |
| 2018 | 17 | 4 | 40 | 78.43% | 2 | 98 | |
| 2019 | 21 | 10 | 58 | 87.88% | 1 | 157 | |
| 2020 | 21 | 8 | 86 | 79.63% | 4 | 208 | |
| 2021† | 20 | 10 | 94 | 85.45% | 2[a] | 231 | |
| 2022† | 17 | 3 | 76 | 85.39% | 1 | 165 | |
| 2023† | 22 | 8 | 89 | 83.96% | 5[b] | 216 | |
| 2024† | 13 | 4 | 50 | 81.97% | 1 | 118 | |
| 2025 | 22 | 6 | 79 | 1 | 184 | ||
| Career Total | 194 | 67 | 717 | 84.33% | 17 | 1723 | |
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Broncos | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 62% |
 Raiders | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 73% |
 Bulldogs | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 83% |
 Sharks | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 67% |
 Dolphins | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50% |
 Titans | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 88% |
 Sea Eagles | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 77% |
 Storm | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 50% |
 Knights | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 90% |
 Cowboys | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 64% |
 Eels | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 61% |
 Dragons | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75% |
 Rabbitohs | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 69% |
 Roosters | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 71% |
 Warriors | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 70% |
 Tigers | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75% |
| Opponent | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Total Points | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 13 | 5 | 47 | 3 | 118 | 8.5 |
| Raiders | 11 | 5 | 46 | 2 | 114 | 10.4 |
| Bulldogs | 12 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 84 | 7.3 |
| Sharks | 12 | 3 | 51 | 0 | 114 | 9.5 |
| Dolphins | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 12.0 |
| Titans | 8 | 5 | 33 | 1 | 87 | 10.9 |
| Sea Eagles | 13 | 4 | 52 | 0 | 120 | 9.8 |
| Storm | 14 | 2 | 31 | 1 | 71 | 5.5 |
| Knights | 10 | 7 | 50 | 2 | 130 | 13.0 |
| Cowboys | 11 | 5 | 39 | 0 | 98 | 9.1 |
| Eels | 18 | 3 | 57 | 2 | 129 | 7.2 |
| Dragons | 8 | 6 | 29 | 0 | 82 | 10.3 |
| Rabbitohs | 16 | 6 | 56 | 1 | 137 | 8.6 |
| Roosters | 14 | 5 | 65 | 1 | 151 | 10.5 |
| Warriors | 10 | 4 | 38 | 0 | 92 | 9.2 |
| Tigers | 12 | 1 | 39 | 2 | 84 | 7.1 |
Cleary is co-owner of Drink West Brewery withTyson Pedro andTai Tuivasa.[95]
In October 2023, Cleary announced his support for the Yes campaign for anIndigenous Voice to Parliament.[96]
In August 2023, Cleary started dating AustralianMatildas starMary Fowler. The two went public with their relationship in January 2024.[97]
While young gun Nathan Cleary has been a superstar rookie in the NRL, the Intrust Super Premiership NSW side did not benefit from his services; Cleary only played in the Panthers' Round 11 win before debuting in first grade, with the relatively unique path of transitioning from the Holden Cup directly into the NRL.
