The Wests Tigers deny they have a discipline problem despite last week setting an unwanted 15-year record for most penalties conceded in one game.
The Tigers were pinged on 18 occasions by referees Grant Atkins and Jon Stone in their 10-8 upset win over Melbourne.
According to Fox Sports Stats, it was the most since Cronulla conceded 18 in their 74-4 thumping at the hands of Parramatta in round 24, 2003.
"I think anyone who watched the game would see there wasn't a real pattern to it other than when we were down to 12 men," Cleary said.
"Of course discipline is always on the agenda. The first week we only conceded six."
Cleary argued most of the penalties came as his side desperately attempted to hang on after prop Ben Matulino was sin-binned in the 64th minute.
However, the Tigers were only penalised four times when Matulino was off the field.
In the final 23 minutes of the game, the Tigers conceded eight penalties but Cleary refused to take issue with the whistle-blowers.
"I had a problem with the sin-bin. The only real pattern was when we were down to 12 men, we were just trying to hang on," Cleary said.
"Most of the penalties were different.
"It was just the context of the game, the referees got on a roll and Melbourne were on a roll.
"The irony is Melbourne, in all their success, they probably push boundaries as much as everyone. That's the nature of that game."
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