{"id":292430,"date":"2023-09-28T20:19:08","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T20:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/?p=292430"},"modified":"2023-09-28T20:19:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T20:19:08","slug":"how-do-you-design-the-perfect-nrl-player-heres-what-nathan-cleary-thinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellmysport.com\/rugby-league\/how-do-you-design-the-perfect-nrl-player-heres-what-nathan-cleary-thinks\/","title":{"rendered":"How do you design the perfect NRL player? Here\u2019s what Nathan Cleary thinks"},"content":{"rendered":"
By <\/span>Michael Chammas<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Who makes up Nathan Cleary\u2019s perfect NRL player?<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac <\/cite><\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.<\/p>\n Penrith superstar Nathan Cleary sat down with the Herald<\/em> in grand final week to create his perfect NRL player.<\/p>\n The Panthers No.7 was asked to pick which player\u2019s attribute he would most like, coming up with a combination of speed, strength, skill and courage to build the NRL\u2019s ultimate player.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brisbane Broncos fullback Reece Walsh.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cAcceleration is a different kind of speed to long distance. Off the mark you can\u2019t go past Reece Walsh. He\u2019s so explosive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Manly Sea Eagles centre and fullback Tolutau Koula.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI like Koula\u2019s speed. He\u2019s got the acceleration but he can hold it, too. He\u2019s got a mad technique as well. He\u2019s under-the-radar quick.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Newcastle Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cBenji Marshall, Shaun Johnson and Kalyn Ponga are my favourites of all time. The way they move is incredible. But if we\u2019re doing current players, and not all time, I\u2019d say Ponga.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Manly Sea Eagles halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cAdam Reynolds is pretty good. Romey (Jarome Luai) is good too. But I\u2019ll have to go Cherry-Evans. He can do it off both feet and has been consistently doing it for a long time. He\u2019s got a pretty deep bag of short kicks.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Canterbury Bulldogs playmaker Matt Burton.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to kick a ball like \u2018Burto\u2019. He\u2019s unbelievable. The height and power he gets is like no one else in the game.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n South Sydney Rabbitohs playmaker Cody Walker.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI think Cody has the best vision in the game. He picks the right option more than anyone else in the competition. He always knows which player to hit at what moment.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brisbane Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cProbably would have to say Adam Reynolds. He\u2019s been doing it for such a long time, too. He\u2019s a great game manager. Arguably the best in the competition.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cFor the same reasons I said before about his vision. He just has this ability to continually pick the right option. I\u2019d say it\u2019s Cody.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Penrith Panthers winger Sunia Turuva.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s one of the smallest wingers in the competition and they target him by kicking to him every single game. He just rarely makes mistakes. It\u2019s impressive. He\u2019s underrated.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Penrith Panthers hooker Mitch Kenny.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac <\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just a dawg. He\u2019s not very big but he\u2019s always leading the line speed and putting his body on the line. I don\u2019t think he gets enough credit for that.\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Parramatta Eels fullback Clint Gutherson.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac <\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cIt would be Dylan Edwards or \u2018Gutho\u2019. Playing against him, he\u2019s just always there. He saves so many tries for them, just like \u2018Dyl\u2019 does for us. I\u2019d love to see Dyl and Gutho have a fitness contest. That would be cool.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Manly Sea Eagles prop Jake Trbojevic.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac <\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cMoses Leota is up there. But I reckon I\u2019d go with Jake Trbojevic. Jake is the best because he hits hard but he\u2019s also so efficient, too.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n South Sydney Rabbitohs fullback Latrell Mitchell.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac <\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cTrell is so hard to tackle. He\u2019s fast, has the footwork and is strong. It\u2019s a scary sight being on the opposite side of it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Penrith Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac <\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re saying who is the best trash talker, I\u2019d say Romey (Luai). But if it\u2019s best communicator I\u2019d have to go with Dyl (Edwards).\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Penrith Panthers winger Brian To\u2019o.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Marija Ercegovac <\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to go past \u2018Bizza\u2019 (Brian To\u2019o). He\u2019s just so hard to handle.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Stream the NRL Premiership 2023 live and free on <\/b>9Now<\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\nSave articles for later<\/h3>\n
Explosive speed: Reece Walsh (Brisbane Broncos)<\/h3>\n
Long-distance speed: Tolutau Koula (Manly Sea Eagles)<\/h3>\n
Footwork: Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)<\/h3>\n
Short-kicking game: Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles)<\/h3>\n
Long-kicking game: Matt Burton (Canterbury Bulldogs)<\/h3>\n
Vision: Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)<\/h3>\n
Tactical nous: Adam Reynolds (Brisbane Broncos)<\/h3>\n
Passing game: Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)<\/h3>\n
Catching ability: Sunia Turuva (Penrith Panthers)<\/h3>\n
Heart: Mitch Kenny (Penrith Panthers)<\/h3>\n
Fitness and stamina: Clint Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)<\/h3>\n
Tackling: Jake Trbojevic (Manly Sea Eagles)<\/h3>\n
Strength: Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)<\/h3>\n
Communication: Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers)<\/h3>\n
Running power: Brian To\u2019o (Penrith Panthers)<\/h3>\n
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