Liam Martin solely had one factor on his thoughts as he raced in the direction of Xavier Coates, with the ball within the air and the grand closing on the sting of a knife.
Martin is nice within the air – he performed Aussie Guidelines as a child, so he is obtained some hops – however Coates has 12 centimetres on the Panthers backrower and may need the most effective vertical leap within the competitors.
Few would have anticipated Martin to assert an aerial battle with the Storm winger, however he is the most effective backrowers within the league as a result of he makes that effort regardless, so he raced down after Nathan Cleary’s kick all the identical.
“I simply hoped I did not stuff it up,” Martin mentioned.
“I obtained within the body to compete for it and thought ‘bugger it, I will again myself’, and I obtained a bit fortunate.”
By ‘a bit fortunate’, Martin means he outjumped Coates and popped a go to Moses Leota, who then discovered Paul Alamoti who scored the attempt that sealed the grand closing.
There have been nonetheless 20 minutes left, however the play all however locked up Penrith’s fourth-straight premiership and secured the Clive Churchill Medal for Martin after an excellent all-round show.
“All 17 of us may have gained it tonight, everybody did their job, however to be the primary ahead shortly to win it, that is so particular. It most likely will not sink in for some time,” Martin mentioned.
“I am so honoured – it is heavier than you suppose, however I prefer it.”
Martin appeared to be in every single place on Sunday night time – haring after kicks to pin again the Storm again three in their very own finish, forcing errors together with his all-action model of defence, and connecting with Cleary down the fitting edge wherever attainable.
There have been loads of huge performs as properly, like his attempt proper on half-time or getting within the air up there with Coates, which was a shock to everybody aside from his Panthers teammates.
“He is at all times had that. He is so annoying, he annoys all of the boys, however he can do something,” mentioned winger Brian To’o.
“He is performed such a giant half within the workforce, he is earned this.”
Most premiership sides go from being the hunter to the hunted, however Penrith put a distinct spin on it with their theme for this season – All the time The Hunter.
Few gamers dwell that mentality like Martin, who has turn out to be a Take a look at and Origin common – in addition to a quadruple premiership winner – on the again of his seemingly infinite tenacity.
For him, the thought of at all times attempting to find extra goes proper again to earlier than the dynasty, when Penrith misplaced to Melbourne within the 2020 grand closing.
“It most likely began in 2020, after we watched that grand closing again and so they taught us a lesson or two in tips on how to win finals,” Martin mentioned
“That is the usual we needed to play at and we have been making an attempt to try this 12 months in and 12 months out.”
Martin nonetheless has a bit to do in 2024, regardless of taking part in with a shoulder that, in his phrases “is fairly buggered”.
First on the listing is eliminating the “bush afro” he is been sporting in current months. It is unlikely to outlive Penrith’s Mad Monday celebrations.
Then it is into the Australian squad, the place he is turn out to be an computerized choice, for the Pacific Championships.
Ultimately, the hunt will resume once more as Penrith start their quest for a fifth straight premiership. It is a degree of success that appears inconceivable however that is by no means stopped them earlier than.
Even now, after doing this 4 instances, Martin nonetheless cannot actually clarify what all of it means to him. Like his soar over Coates, this run is one thing that would not have occurred except he willed it into actuality.
“I can not put it into phrases,” Martin mentioned.
“We stored asking one another on the market, ‘Is that this actual, is that this actually taking place,’ it is too particular for me to actually describe.”
