Harry Grant is no stranger to scoring a matchwinning try in golden point. He scored one very similar to Thursday night’s in the Storm’s Round 1 win over the Eels two years ago.
It was also at CommBank Stadium and it was at the same end of the field as his genius try that broke the Panthers’ hearts and sealed a 22-18 win.
Coincidence? Maybe not!
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Panthers’ dreams SHATTERED by late pen! | 00:39
The Storm skipper revealed in the post-match press conference that a catch-up with former rugby league coach and respected sports columnist Roy Masters might’ve planted the seed for the play.
“I had lunch with Roy Masters and he said ‘where are you playing?’ I said ‘CommBank’ and he said ‘that’s where you were pretty sneaky and scored a try in golden point against Parramatta.’ So I guess he put it in my head,” Grant revealed with a smile.
A minute and a half into golden point, the Storm found themselves in prime field position. The Panthers rushed up on Cameron Munster thinking he was going to attempt a field goal — but instead Grant struck.
The star No.9 made a beeline for the try-line and scored untouched under the posts in a stunning finish to a thrilling grand final rematch.
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Coates’ fumbled finish… try or no try? | 00:39
“You’re not going to get it right all the time but I just backed myself and felt a fair bit of attention going towards Munster, obviously he was set for the field goal and had a crack earlier in the game,” Grant said when asked to re-live the moment.
Up until that moment it was his teammate Xavier Coates, who was set to draw all the headlines. Grant had a relatively quiet night in which he took no runs in the first half. But he came alive in the second half and delivered when it mattered most.
Despite coming up with the matchwinner, the 27-year-old shied away from the accolades and took the chance to credit his teammates, in particular Trent Loiero, who charged down a Nathan Cleary field goal attempt.
“I personally think there were plenty of moments throughout the game that our team really turned up (in) and had some really selfless acts that kept us in the game and put us in those positions,” he said.
“I think Trent’s charge-down, that’s the matchwinner for me. We all know the work that Trent got through but we all know how good of a kicker Nathan is with his field goals so to put himself in the position and make that play — that’s what kept us in the game.”
