Nathan Cleary has lawyered up after AI-generated images of the NRL star were printed on flyers and plastered across hundreds of cars outside Accor Stadium following the State of Origin decider.
The bizarre stunt, revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald, saw flyers left on windscreens in Sydney Olympic Park’s P1 car park after NSW’s defeat to Queensland.
The flyers showed a doctored image of Cleary, wearing a Blues jersey with his arm around an AI-generated woman, and included the line: “Way to go Blues! I knew you had rizz! I'm taking this one home!”
A small-print line read, “This flyer was printed a week ago,” a nod to the fact that the Blues lost the game. There was no branding, website, or contact info visible, making it unclear who was behind the flyers or what they were promoting.
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“It’s a disgrace”: Cleary’s lawyer speaks out
Cleary’s legal representative Daniel McGirr confirmed they’re pursuing both civil and criminal charges over the unauthorised use of the Penrith star’s likeness.
“It’s a disgrace what they’re doing with these guys’ brands,” McGirr told the Herald.
“They might be scams. Say the punter on the street thinks, ‘Nathan Cleary is aligned to this, I trust him and he’s my hero’. They click on it, and they could be taken to some dark web or something like that and get scammed.
“It’s a criminal matter. With AI, this will get worse and worse until something is done about it.”
McGirr said it’s becoming a growing problem for public figures in sport and beyond, and urged the NRL to step in before more damage is done.
“Something needs to be done from an NRL perspective, because the NRL merchandising section should be the most concerned.”