The Riverina flavour in this year’s premiership decider is a reminder that the pinnacle of rugby league isn’t unreachable, according to NRL development officer Adam Perry.
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Opposing ex-Griffith footballer Andrew Fifita at the Sharks, there’s former Young Cherrypickers junior Jordan McLean in the front row for the Melbourne Storm and on the bench, Ben Hampton, who spent his primary school years at Temora.
“It’s good to be able to show there’s a direct pathway and kids can grow up and play NRL,” Perry said.
“It’s not as far away as it looks and if they work hard and train hard they can give themselves every chance of reaching the top.”
A former southern NSW representative, McLean, 25, went through the Melbourne Storm development system and played a part in their Under 20s success in 2009.
Teammate Hampton moved to Queensland for high school after his early years at Temora and will join the Cowboys next year.
Perry said both will have benefited from playing under Craig Bellamy.
“He’s obviously very good at what he does, he always seems to have strong teams,” Perry said.
“It’s got a lot to do with the core group of players there (starting with Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk) that work hard all the time and it rubs off on the other players.
“It’s a good culture they’ve got there.”
Perry, a premiership player himself with Canterbury in 2004, thinks the game is almost too close to call but said it’s hard to tip against the consistent and experienced Storm.
Perry said Sharks enforcer Andrew Fifita has always been something special.
“I played against Andrew when I first moved back here. He played for Group 20 and I played for Group Nine and he scored two tries against us in a losing team,” he said.
“He was only 18 – even back then he showed a fair bit.”
Given Perry’s current role, he’s just hopeful it can come close to the heights reached by last year’s epic decider between the Cowboys and the Broncos.
He said Cronulla deserve some sentimental support representing the fairytale aspect of the grand final.
“That’s it – and I think it’s a good opportunity for them. A few of their guys, this is probably their last crack at it,” he said.
“But as we know, fairytales don’t always come true in rugby league.”