Nathan Cleary’s horrific Origin decider record extended after NSW defeat

New South Wales have capitulated in the 2025 State of Origin series to lose the series 2-1 after a miserable performance in Wednesday’s decider: and it has continued Nathan Cleary’s miserable record in crunch games for the Blues.

Cleary has seen, done and won it all in rugby league – with the exception of State of Origin deciders. The Blues superstar has now played in three games where the series was on the line at one-all: and he has lost every single one of them.

The Penrith Panthers star was central to the Blues’ hopes of securing the series on Wednesday but both he and half-back partner Jarome Luai fell severely flat when it mattered most – as did Laurie Daley’s team on the whole.

They were well-beaten by Queensland with only a late Brian To’o try masking their embarrassment further, as they were defeated 24-12 on home turf at Accor Stadium.

And of the four series deciders Cleary has now lost, this one may well hurt the most. The other two were all in enemy territory in Queensland, at Suncorp Stadium.

Cleary’s first decider was in 2020 in Brisbane, but the Blues were narrowly edged out 20-14. Two years later, the series was again on the line at Suncorp – but New South Wales and Cleary lost again, this time 22-12.

And to add insult to injury, Cleary has played in another Game III in his first season as an Origin player in 2018. That was also at Suncorp but was a dead rubber – but the Blues and Cleary still lost it 18-12.

He is undisputedly one of the game’s all-time greats but in Origin deciders, Cleary has been unable to inspire his side when it mattered most.

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