NRL star Nathan Cleary has opened up about his ongoing struggle to manage his reliance on his smartphone, likening his connection to it as a “constant battle.”

This revelation comes as the Penrith and NSW playmaker faces a wave of criticism from fans regarding his recent performances for the national team, the Kangaroos.

At 27, Cleary is celebrated for his remarkable concentration on the field, steering Penrith to four consecutive grand final triumphs. However, away from the game, he often finds it challenging to divert his attention from his phone.

“It’s a constant struggle,” he admitted.

“Avoiding your phone for a while can trigger a dopamine release, a chemical reaction in your brain,” he explained.

He’s become famous for his focus while taking Penrith to four straight premierships – but an off-field addiction has made it hard for Nathan Cleary to concentrate in his private life

The superstar halfback (pictured with fans after the third Test against England on Sunday) has confessed to struggling to break his addiction to scrolling through social media on his phone

“Constantly checking your phone provides these quick dopamine hits,” he added.

‘But the phone thing is hard. I admit I definitely go through times where I am addicted to it and I just scroll.

‘You just find yourself scrolling and you don’t know what you’re doing half the time.

‘If I catch myself doing that then I will try and stay off my phone for a little bit.’

Cleary also told News Corp that he has turned to meditation to help break the habit that has seen him and plenty of other Aussies get ‘consumed by a screen’.

The Panthers lynchpin is currently in England with the Kangaroos, playing halfback as the national team won the Ashes series three-nil with a 30-8 win at Headingley early on Sunday morning, Australian time.

But despite the side racking up a whitewash in the first Ashes for more than 20 years, the No.7 has been slammed by fans who have turned on him over his performances.

It’s starting to become commonplace for Cleary, who has developed a reputation with supporters for dominating at club level, but failing to replicate that sort of form in representative teams, such as the NSW Blues.

The 27-year-old has been blasted by fans for not bringing his usual excellence from the NRL to the fore while playing for the Kangaroos against England (pictured)

One supporter said Cleary could learn a thing or two about playing for Australia from his girlfriend, Matildas star Mary Fowler (pictured together)

Pictured: More examples of fans giving Cleary harsh feedback after he helped guide Australia to a 3-0 clean sweep of the first Ashes series in more than 20 years

‘Nathan Cleary is a system player. Without a Penrith shirt on he is a rather average halfback. Three more rep games where he has done little and even made errors,’ one fan posted to X after the third Test victory.

‘Nathan Cleary needs to talk to his missus on what it means to play for Australia,’ another wrote, referring to Cleary’s girlfriend Mary Fowler, who is known for her standout performances for the Matildas.

‘Rep jerseys are Nathan Cleary’s cryptonite [sic],’ added a third.

Other comments included ‘Nathan Cleary stinking it up in a rep jersey again’, ‘Nathan Cleary has never dominated a rep game in his life’ and ‘Why does Nathan Cleary play so timid in rep footy?’

But the half wasn’t the only Kangaroo to come in for harsh treatment after the win, with coach Kevin Walters forced to defend his side against the view that they did’t play well in a series sweep that was just a cakewalk against sub-standard, plodding English opposition.

‘Some of the Australian press have been saying “it’s like a walk in the park”. Well, come over and walk in the park against the English, and see how you go … These were tough matches,’ Walters said.

‘There’s been some chat back home about this English side – they’re this and they’re that – but if you talk to our players, they’ve got nothing but respect for them and the way they play their football.

‘It’s a different style of game here, and it’s great that our boys can experience that now.

‘Because for 20-odd years, the Ashes haven’t been played, and now these series need to continue on a regular basis for both countries to get better and develop better as rugby league-playing nations.’