Cleary burst onto the NRL scene with Penrith as an 18-year-old in 2016.

Now 20, the halfback is emerging as a real candidate for the Blues to challenge the likes of Mitchell Pearce, James Maloney and Adam Reynolds.

Despite never representing NSW at Under-16, Under-18 or Under-20 level, Cleary is now in contention for the 2018 series after being selected in the Emerging Blues squad.

"I've never played for NSW at any level," Cleary told NRL.com.

"Brock Lamb and Jack Cogger were the halves coming through and they definitely deserved it ahead of me back in the younger ages.

"I wasn't the best player growing up. It's weird how it pans out eventually. I'm lucky with the opportunity at Penrith. Not everyone gets that."

Cleary said he needs to improve to garner a place in Brad Fittler's XVII.

"If I can take one or two things back to Penrith and put that into my game hopefully it can transcend to playing for NSW one day," he said.

"It's obviously a great honour to be mentioned already. Learning off guys like Freddy (Brad Fittler), Joey (Andrew Johns) and Bedsy (Danny Buderus) is awesome.

"To play for NSW one day would be a dream come true so hopefully I get that opportunity but I don't feel 100 per cent ready or anything like that, there is still a lot of work to do."