Nathan Cleary's Penrith teammates have conceded even they get mesmerised by the halfback's wizardry as he prepares to go head-to-head with Brisbane star Reece Walsh.
The best No.7 in the game produced one of the greatest performances of his career last weekend to dismantle the Bulldogs and lead his side to a sixth-straight preliminary final.
The challenges don't get any easier this weekend, with the Panthers travelling north to face Walsh and the Broncos at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium.
Next week. Bring it on
The match will pit the two biggest names in the game against each other, with Cleary a four-time premiership winner and Walsh riding a wave of confidence after orchestrating a stunning comeback win over the Raiders in week one of the finals.
The Panthers halfback has made a career out of delivering on the big stage and teammate Scott Sorensen said it's inspiring to watch his skipper produce plays few athletes would even think to attempt.
"Sometimes you're in support and you just think 'that was good to watch'," Sorensen said. "You definitely appreciate it but you've still got another 60 minutes to go or however long is left so you've got to stay switched on but sometimes you have to appreciate it in the moment.
"After the game you can appreciate it much more. When it happens you're definitely happy he's on your team."
Match: Broncos v Panthers
Finals Week 3 -
home Team
Broncos
4th Position
away Team
Panthers
7th Position
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Cleary has tormented the Broncos throughout his career, winning the seven of his last eight against the club.
The most memorable was the 2023 grand final, where he produced arguably the greatest 18 minutes of all time to help Penrith overcome a 24-8 deficit and pull off a miraculous comeback.
More recently, the playmaker orchestrated a dominant 32-8 win at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium during Magic Round. The halfback finished the game with 16 points, a try, a try assist, two line-breaks, two tackle breaks and a 40-20 in one of the best solo performances we've seen all year.
History is on Cleary's side heading into Sunday's game. The halfback hasn't lost a day game since 2019 while Walsh has lost all seven games he has played against the Panthers.
Cleary has also played a key role in the Panthers' unprecedented late-season resurgence, with the side coming from last after Round 12 to make a preliminary final.
While fans can simply turn up and watch Cleary put on a show for 80 minutes each weekend, Penrith hooker Mitch Kenny said the 27-year-old spends hours each week ensuring he is ready to fire on gameday.
Reece Walsh's magic show
"He's so consistent in the way he prepares every week that he gives himself every chance to play like that," Kenny said. "The reason he's so consistently good is because he's so consistent about everything he does in his life.
"He gives himself a chance to go out and perform like that. He's human, he's going to have days where he doesn't play as well but he's going to give himself no excuses.
"He never comes into a game not going to play as well because he didn't sleep well or he didn't eat the right things. He gives himself every opportunity to play great and more often than not he does."
Who else but Cleary?
While Cleary is meticulous in his individual preparation, he also spends considerable time making the players around him better.
As a halfback he is tasked with unlocking the best attributes of his teammates and identifies the traits that make them click.
The captain took rookie playmaker Blaize Talagi under his wing in the off-season while they were both recovering from shoulder surgery, with the Panthers reaping the rewards of that partnership throughout the finals series.
Sorensen is constantly in awe of the halfback and said Cleary's desire to experience team success has played a big part in Penrith's bid for a remarkable fifth-straight premiership.
"Being our captain, he's such a good leader," Sorensen said. "It's beautiful to watch because you see how professional he is, how much work he puts in and how much he wants his teammates to thrive.
"It's incredible to watch because you know how much time he puts into his game. He wants to get better at every aspect of his game and take us with him so it's an absolute pleasure to play with him."
