How 'Drinky' emerged from Cleary's shadow
North Queensland fullback Scott Drinkwater is finally achieving the acclaim he was earmarked for when he was Penrith playmaker Nathan Cleary's halves partner in the champion Australian Schoolboys side back in 2015.
Cleary was NSW halfback by 2018 and one of the game's leading players as a 19-year-old, before Drinkwater had even made his NRL debut.
It has taken a breakout season in 2022 for Drinkwater to realise his potential, where his 15 try assists and 11 tries have fired the Cowboys to a qualifying final showdown with Cronulla on Saturday night.
His former Australian Schoolboys coach Brian Battese, a dual-premiership winner at Canterbury, said he would not be surprised if Cleary and Drinkwater again play together in the toughest arena.
"Back in his Australian Schoolboys days Drinky had that mix of being able to ball-play and also scare the hell out of the opposition when he decided to run," Battese told AAP.
"He has that same mix now at the Cowboys in a dual-purpose role. That is what they expect of fullbacks in the NRL now, to be able to do both, and Drinky is doing a great job.
"I'm not surprised at all by his progress. Sometimes there are good kids like Drinky who just need the lucky breaks. He's had a couple. He's taken them with both hands and now he's running with it.
"Nathan and Drinky could be playing together again next year for NSW. Drinky would make a great 14 in the Origin arena."
Drinkwater's journey to the top has been longer than Cleary's.
After scoring two tries with the Australian Schoolboys in a 70-24 win over the Kiwis, he was signed by Melbourne where he trained in the halves initially as an understudy to Cooper Cronk.
Then he completed the 2018 pre-season at fullback as the heir apparent to Billy Slater.
Slater retired and Drinkwater was on track to begin the 2019 season in the number one jersey before a pectoral injury cruelled his dream. Ryan Papenhuyzen, another Australian Schoolboy teammate, got the jump at fullback at the Storm and Jahrome Hughes in the halves so Drinkwater accepted a transfer to the Cowboys where three tough seasons followed.
There were glimpses of the former Terrigal High School student's class, but it wasn't until Cowboys coach Todd Payten offered him the fullback role this year that his career kicked off. Drinkwater had his heart initially set on playing five-eighth but Tom Dearden has made that position his own.
North Queensland skipper Chad Townsend said it had all panned out for the best, culminating in Drinkwater signing a four-year extension until the end of 2027.
"Drinky's unbelievable with what he brings to our side," Townsend told AAP.
"He got injured in the pre-season and that probably allowed Tommy to go ahead of him and flourish, so Drinky missed the main block of pre-season and that's why he started in the Queensland Cup.
"Once he got his opportunity we all know the X-factor he brings and he's got a great left foot, touch and pass. He's been rewarded with that contract extension and he deserves it.
"He's one of the guys who has probably had a career-best year and there's 10 of those on our side right now."
