He was selected in the Australian national side for all three Tests of the 1961 series against Fiji and made further Wallaby appearances against France, and against the Springboks on the 1961 tour of South Africa.

Cleary joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1962 along with Jim Lisle his Wallaby three-quarter partner.

Cleary finished his first grade career with the Rabbitoh's neighbouring club, the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, in 1971.

This made him ideally suited to represent his future NSW State electoral district of Coogee, which sits close to the geographic border between the two clubs.

He is one of only four Australian sportsmen to represent internationally in three different sports at the senior level (see also Dick Thornett, Snowy Baker and Wal Mackney).