Has Nathan Cleary already overtaken Andrew Johns?

I know what you're thinking. Wash my mouth out with soap.

But after Nathan Cleary's remarkable performance in virtually winning Penrith a third consecutive premiership on Sunday night on the strength of his own willpower, I've had to reassess.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but for near on 30 years I have subscribed to the theory that Joey Johns is the best player to have ever laced on a boot.

I've seen a few good'uns in my time.

In no particular order, Cameron Smith, Wally Lewis, Brad Fittler, Darren Lockyer, Laurie Daley, Mal Meninga, Greg Inglis, Billy Slater, Bradley Clyde, Ricky Stuart, Allan Langer, Johnathan Thurston, Glenn Lazarus, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Terry Lamb, Danny Buderus - players who would have been champions in any era.

But I'd never seen any better than the eighth Immortal, and I'd imagine the vast majority of Newcastle Knights fans would share similar sentiments.

At the peak of his powers, Joey was basically unchallenged as the code's No.1 performer for more than a decade.

From the time he was named player of the tournament at the 1995 World Cup, up until his injury-enforced retirement in 2007, he dominated at all levels of the game, and if not for injuries and the occasional suspension, would probably have won more than three Dally M gold medals and two premierships.

A decade or more earlier, Lewis was a similarly transcendental presence in the State of Origin arena, although it was only late in his career, when he was past his prime, that he had a chance to test himself week in, week out, in the NSWRL competition.

Of the others, Smith has staked an undeniable claim to GOAT status, given that he played more NRL games (430), more Tests (56) and more Origins (42) than any other individual - records that may never be broken - and scored more points (2786) than any other player in top-grade history.

But for mine, Johns was in a league of his own. Until Sunday night.

Cleary was not flawless in Penrith's grand final triumph against the Broncos. He missed tackles on Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh that led directly to tries as Brisbane surged to a 24-8 lead.

The Panthers were in disarray. The last rites was being read on a dynasty that had yielded back-to-back titles. And as his scrumbase partner Jarome Luai was helped from the field with a game-ending shoulder injury, Cleary looked around and realised it was all up to him.

First came a line break to send prop Moses Leota racing away for a try. Then he followed by nailing a 40-20 kick to keep the Panthers on the front foot.

A Stephen Crichton try lifted Penrith back within striking distance, and by then everyone knew how this was going to end. Sure enough, with just three minutes left in the only game that matters, Cleary stepped and accelerated and dived over for the most important try of his career.

As Lockyer said afterwards: "Cleary won that game. Penrith didn't win that. Nathan Cleary did."

And what a game it was.

For sheer drama, theatre and brutality, I had always regarded Newcastle's 1997 boilover against Manly as the most enthralling grand final I had witnessed.

Honourable mentions to 1989 (Canberra v Balmain), 1999 (Melbourne v St George Illawarra) and 2015 (North Queensland v Brisbane).

All share a recurring theme, of a team overcoming incredible adversity and pressure to peg back a deficit and win in the dying moments.

But Penrith took it to another level on Sunday night, producing a mind-blowing comeback that was bordering on miraculous. The greatest escape of all time.

None of which would have been possible, of course, without the skill and mental toughness of the guy in the No.7 jersey.

And to think Nathan Cleary is only 25. How much better he can get is anyone's guess.

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