MARK ‘SPUDD’ CARROLL: Mitchell Moses should replace Nathan Cleary as the Australian and NSW halfback

Did I miss the memo?

Is Nathan Cleary a protected species, totally immune to the sack?

You’ve got to think that’s the case after the Penrith half once again delivered a so-so performance for Australia in the third Test win over England in Leeds.

Cleary is a brilliant club player but his time in a rep jersey is up.

Mitchell Moses should be the starting halfback for NSW and Australia.

There, I’ve said it.

After watching all three Ashes Tests live in England – on top of what the Blues dished up in Origin this year – I can’t believe the Panthers No.7 is a guaranteed starter in every rep team.

What happened to the best man for the position, regardless of reputation?

Remember when Ricky Stuart replaced the great Allan Langer on the 1994 Roo tour and guided Australia to two straight Test wins after we’d lost the first game?

It was about picking the best man for the job, not the one with the most newspaper headlines.

Talking of papers, I see one publication gave Cleary five out of 10 for his performance in Leeds.

I think that’s generous.

It was barely a four.

Cleary’s game just doesn’t stand up in the rep arena where a lot more is thrown at you than in a club game.

With Penrith’s brilliant systems and structures, he is perfectly suited to that halfback role.

Some of his performances in a Panthers jersey will be talked about long after I’m gone.

He will go down as one of the best players to have played our game, but you’re not the complete package unless you’ve also shown you can dominate at that next level.

Rep footy is a more instinctive game than club footy which is why only the best succeed.

Nathan is so good, almost too good, and never drifts from structure.

But that’s not how rep footy is played.

You need to recognise a situation and react to it, forgetting the game plan at times.

Cleary has an 8-9 win-loss record in Origin and is 0-3 in Origin deciders.

That tells me he can’t get the deal done when the game is on the line - unless it’s in clubland.

Australia looked clunky and out of rhythm throughout the Ashes series and basically got home 3-0 because Harry Grant, Cam Munster and Reece Walsh stood tall when it mattered.

Mind you, England was so poor Australia could have played without a game plan.

That lack of cohesion is not all on Cleary but, as the No.7, he has to wear the majority of blame.

Why wasn’t Moses given his opportunity?

The Parramatta half has four wins from six Origin appearances, including a man-of-the-match series-deciding performance in 2024 where he set up a record four tries.

His game is perfectly suited to that level and, just as importantly, he brings out the best in players around him.

That’s the sort of player you want at halfback when you need to form combinations on the run.

I heard Moses was a standout at Australian training sessions and he would have been gutted not to get his chance in the green and gold.

I know people will argue against me because we won 3-0.

Please!

This was an England side that would be flat out beating many NRL sides.

In fact, a couple of NSW Cup teams might give them a run for their money.

If we want to win next year’s World Cup, we’re going to have to beat a lot better teams than the Poms and I feel we missed a trick in not blooding more players on this tour.

I really feel for the six – Moses, Bradman Best, Ethan Strange, Jacob Preston, Dylan Edwards and Blayke Brailey – who didn’t see a minute of time.

I know they will all say the right thing and that they were just happy to be part of it all.

That’s bullshit.

It’s not the same unless you’re out on the field.

Some of them may never get this close to an Australian jumper again.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED

So, with the rep season done and dusted, that brings down the curtain on a long rugby league season.

It also means this column is going on holidays for a few months.

Thank-you all for reading my take on the game I love and cherish and I hope I’ve given you a few laughs along the way - or even reason to raise your fist in anger at something you haven’t agreed with.

Hey, any reaction is better than no reaction.

Before I go, just some early thoughts on how the 2026 season might pan out.

I expect Parramatta and South Sydney to be among the big improvers after disappointing campaigns this year.

Brisbane will be right up there again because of one man: Michael Maguire.

Madge would have gone straight from grand final celebrations to plotting his plans for 2026.

There is no way he will allow any sort of premiership hangover.

I think we might see the likes of Melbourne, Cronulla and the Penrith come back to the field just a little, while the heat will be on Manly, Wests Tigers and the Dragons from the get-go.

I’ll have more to say on it all when I return next year.

Until then, enjoy your summer, have a great Chrissy and go the Aussies in the “other” Ashes!