October 5, 2024 • 8 mins
The NRL Grand Final is upon us. Melbourne Storm look to stop the Penrith Panthers run of titles. Piney catches up with Storm premiership winner in 1999 and one of New Zealands greatest League players, Tawera Nikau to preview the big match
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The mouth watering NRL Grand Final and prospect Tonight Minor
Premier is the Melbourne Storm forty two.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
And await is a bold stutt Ballots again, Novots Testud
another Melbourn Red finalists Melbourne are they premiership favorites based
on this?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
And I'll take on three time defending champions the Penrith
Panthers Israeli.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
The right foot kick Martinius an exclamation mark for the
Pethers as.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
They march on to the first Sunday in October. What
a game in prospect. Tawan Anko was one of our
best ever rugby league players. After time with Canterbury Bankstown,
he spent several years in the UK before coming back
to the NRL with Cronulla in nineteen ninety eight. He
joined the Melbourne Storm in the club's inorgur all year,
(01:07):
helping them to a third place finish in the Minor
Premiership and a place in the finals before they lost
eventually to the premiers Brisbane Broncos. The following year, nineteen
ninety nine, the Storm finished third again, this time went
on to win the Grand Final twenty eighteen over the
Saint George Ellawarra Dragons to claim their first championship. Among
his many other awards and accolades, tawar and Nico was
(01:29):
last year inducted as a life member of the Melbourne Storm.
He joins us, Now, let's let's go back to nineteen
ninety eight. How finally do you remember your time with
the Storm.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Oh, it was a great time. They really enjoyed being
part of the Storm and the inaugurals team going down
Newaypak in twenty five years ago in now pinting. So
it's a long time mate, so still living off the
final bosh. It was a great time in regular league
and a great opportunity so you know, going over the
going down to Melbourne, you know the new frontier I suppose,
(02:04):
and being very successful short amount of time. So it
was absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
What was it like at the very start of this
club that has become something pretty special.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Oh, we were very lucky, Tony. We had you know,
a CEO guy called John Rebo Reeps. You know, it
was really instrumental in setting up the club in a
great fashion. You know, Chris Anderson the coach, you know,
really really strong coach, really family orientated coach, and we're
very proud of the history and the culture that we
initiated in those early days and it's something that's under
(02:37):
Craig Bellamy's gone to a whole new level. So, you know,
really outstanding, but great with the administrators, but also the
players and the end players that came for an opportunity
and really made a great effort over those first couple
of seasons.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
That ninety nine Grand Final. What stands out most vividly
when you think back, Why did you say twenty five
years now?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Goodnessman, Well, I think finally one of the main things
about that was, you know, the crowd. I think that
was the biggest rugby league crowd because it was just
before the Olympics. We played nineteen ninety nine at the
Away Coll Stadium and now, but it was I think
it was one hundred and seven thousand people did and
(03:18):
I played at Wembley earlier in my career, but it
was about ninety ninety nine thousand there. But just the noise,
the crowd, but the real camaraderie that the boys built
up in those first couple of seasons was fantastic, you know,
the second year nineteen ninety nine, we had Steve Kearney
came from the Warriors, really added some five power to
our forward pack and then you know that sort of
(03:38):
gave us a lot of impetus and momentum into that
first Grand Final win against Saint George.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
You were down the way fourteen mil at halftime, you
were down. You are widely credited along with a couple
of others for sparking the second half comeback. What was
it at half time and what changed in the second half?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, we had. The funny thing is we hadn't beaten
Sat George all year. You know, they were one of
those teams. They had some amazing players, Nathan Baclock, you know,
Anthony Mundine, Jamie ayins Co. They just had this realist
strike and we struggled to play them because they used
to come down the middle of the rock and we
had a big forward pack. But I think one of
the good things about you know, just having that self
(04:14):
belief that we had in ourselves because nobody gave us
a chance in the first couple of years. They said
we're going to fail, we weren't going to be any good.
And even when we got to the finals. They were
writing us off anyway, so you know, we had nothing
to lose. We just said we had some great leadership
in the organization from our coach Chris Anderson and our
captain Glen Lazarus. You know, it was outstanding leadership and
(04:35):
part of that. But I think in the second half,
I remember going into the changing sheds at halftime and
me and Steve Kearney and I said, Steve, mate, we've
got forty minutes left. Let's just get out there and
rip into these guys. And we sort of came out
changed the momentum, we got on a bit of a role,
we scored a couple of tries and then you know,
we came home with it. We at Sales. So you
(04:55):
know that's all folklore and history now ponting. But you
know it stands as the first ever premiership premiership for
the Melbourne Sand Final. So yeah, that's inched in folk law.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Indeed it is even now and will be for many
many more years. But let's fast forward to now to
the present day. The Storm won the minor premiership this year,
nineteen wins from their twenty four games. They got rid
of the Sharks and the Roosters fairly comfortably in their
finals matches. Would you have them as favorites against the
Panthers tonight the.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Storm, Well, it's a tough one. You know. The last
the Panthers have been in the last five Grand Finals,
the last team to beat them in the Grand Final
is the Melbourne Stare so it all aug as well.
But if you look back, you know this year they've
been the best two teams. I think the Storm has
probably gone to you know, and it's a tough one
(05:44):
because Nathan Cleary hasn't played too much of them. I
watched the game last week with the Sharks and there
was a couple of little crazy for Penrith, which you know,
usually that's very very clinical. They don't make too many years,
but they made a few years. So you know, it's
going to be a tough game. But I just think
with the spine that the Melbourne Storm have in the
form that Jerome Hughes, Harry Grant, Ryan Pepperinowsen and also
(06:08):
Karen munster in It's going to be a tough game.
Could go anyway, but I'm tipping the Storm to win
this one tonight.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yeah. Jerome Hughes delim won a popular winner too during
the week. How important, how integral is he to the
storm side.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, it's really interesting And I don't know if you
saw the Daily In speech and he talked about, you
know how he's sort of grown into their role and
done really well. But he credits Craig Bellamy's given him
some confidence. He credits been part of the New Zealand
Kiwi team last year. You know, he's really grown into
this role as a leader and he's really got their
confidence now to lead from the front. So I think,
(06:45):
you know, with Monster the over the last couple of years,
he was just sitting back. He's quite shy Jerome in
terms of that, but you know he's really stepped that
up and I think and I heard Craig Bellamy talked
to him earlier in the year about you know, him
taking that leadership role, on him owning the games, and
you know he's just thrived in that this year and
gone to another level. So when you think about you know,
(07:05):
Ivan Cleary's probably the best players, I mean, Nathan Carey
the last two or three seasons. You know, Jerome's on
a part probably this season has probably you know edged
out in front of them. But it's hard to beat Penriff.
You know, they've been there the last there's their fifth
Greend final in the row, so you know, I've got
some experience, but they've lost a bit of experience too,
So you know, these things catch up with you when
(07:26):
you're playing finals when the pressure comes on. You know,
you've just got to keep in the grind. And I
think with Melbourne and you've seen that over the last
two you know, the final series, they've gone about their
business very very well. Melbourn don't really beat themselves. You've
got to do something extraordinary to beat them because they're
defensively they're really good and they're fit. They're very fit,
so they can manage that hang in the contest for
(07:47):
big minutes. I think the game against the Sharks they
completed was it fifty six out of fifty eight cents
or something ninety five percent something like that account It
was something some astronomical number in terms of that. So
and now they expect that they have as Craig Bellamy,
you know, he just continues to in the depth and
(08:08):
you know, give these players and I think Piney if
you look at a couple of their best crows, Sean
Law played two years at the Tigers and was a
wooden spoon. Elie Kator now the last couple of years
came from the Warriors. Yeah he had a bit of talent,
but they'd both gone to another level. So you know,
when you think about players in what they can do
(08:28):
in the environment that they create, you know, Craig Bellamy's
and master at doing it.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yeah, fascinating grand final and prospect and I could be
one of the best ever to What a great chatting
Raby league with you mate. Thanks for taking the time.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Why is it privileged piny? No worries and go the
Mighty Storms.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
We go the storm are right you? I suppose there's
your old team, Isn't that That's fair enough? Good on
your thanks indeed, Tonic.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talks the'd be weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The mouth watering NRL Grand Final and prospect Tonight Minor
Premier is the Melbourne Storm forty two.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
And await is a bold stutt Ballots again, Novots Testud
another Melbourn Red finalists Melbourne are they premiership favorites based
on this?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
And I'll take on three time defending champions the Penrith
Panthers Israeli.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
The right foot kick Martinius an exclamation mark for the
Pethers as.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
They march on to the first Sunday in October. What
a game in prospect. Tawan Anko was one of our
best ever rugby league players. After time with Canterbury Bankstown,
he spent several years in the UK before coming back
to the NRL with Cronulla in nineteen ninety eight. He
joined the Melbourne Storm in the club's inorgur all year,
(01:07):
helping them to a third place finish in the Minor
Premiership and a place in the finals before they lost
eventually to the premiers Brisbane Broncos. The following year, nineteen
ninety nine, the Storm finished third again, this time went
on to win the Grand Final twenty eighteen over the
Saint George Ellawarra Dragons to claim their first championship. Among
his many other awards and accolades, tawar and Nico was
(01:29):
last year inducted as a life member of the Melbourne Storm.
He joins us, Now, let's let's go back to nineteen
ninety eight. How finally do you remember your time with
the Storm.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Oh, it was a great time. They really enjoyed being
part of the Storm and the inaugurals team going down
Newaypak in twenty five years ago in now pinting. So
it's a long time mate, so still living off the
final bosh. It was a great time in regular league
and a great opportunity so you know, going over the
going down to Melbourne, you know the new frontier I suppose,
(02:04):
and being very successful short amount of time. So it
was absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
What was it like at the very start of this
club that has become something pretty special.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Oh, we were very lucky, Tony. We had you know,
a CEO guy called John Rebo Reeps. You know, it
was really instrumental in setting up the club in a
great fashion. You know, Chris Anderson the coach, you know,
really really strong coach, really family orientated coach, and we're
very proud of the history and the culture that we
initiated in those early days and it's something that's under
(02:37):
Craig Bellamy's gone to a whole new level. So, you know,
really outstanding, but great with the administrators, but also the
players and the end players that came for an opportunity
and really made a great effort over those first couple
of seasons.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
That ninety nine Grand Final. What stands out most vividly
when you think back, Why did you say twenty five
years now?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Goodnessman, Well, I think finally one of the main things
about that was, you know, the crowd. I think that
was the biggest rugby league crowd because it was just
before the Olympics. We played nineteen ninety nine at the
Away Coll Stadium and now, but it was I think
it was one hundred and seven thousand people did and
(03:18):
I played at Wembley earlier in my career, but it
was about ninety ninety nine thousand there. But just the noise,
the crowd, but the real camaraderie that the boys built
up in those first couple of seasons was fantastic, you know,
the second year nineteen ninety nine, we had Steve Kearney
came from the Warriors, really added some five power to
our forward pack and then you know that sort of
(03:38):
gave us a lot of impetus and momentum into that
first Grand Final win against Saint George.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
You were down the way fourteen mil at halftime, you
were down. You are widely credited along with a couple
of others for sparking the second half comeback. What was
it at half time and what changed in the second half?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, we had. The funny thing is we hadn't beaten
Sat George all year. You know, they were one of
those teams. They had some amazing players, Nathan Baclock, you know,
Anthony Mundine, Jamie ayins Co. They just had this realist
strike and we struggled to play them because they used
to come down the middle of the rock and we
had a big forward pack. But I think one of
the good things about you know, just having that self
(04:14):
belief that we had in ourselves because nobody gave us
a chance in the first couple of years. They said
we're going to fail, we weren't going to be any good.
And even when we got to the finals. They were
writing us off anyway, so you know, we had nothing
to lose. We just said we had some great leadership
in the organization from our coach Chris Anderson and our
captain Glen Lazarus. You know, it was outstanding leadership and
(04:35):
part of that. But I think in the second half,
I remember going into the changing sheds at halftime and
me and Steve Kearney and I said, Steve, mate, we've
got forty minutes left. Let's just get out there and
rip into these guys. And we sort of came out
changed the momentum, we got on a bit of a role,
we scored a couple of tries and then you know,
we came home with it. We at Sales. So you
(04:55):
know that's all folklore and history now ponting. But you
know it stands as the first ever premiership premiership for
the Melbourne Sand Final. So yeah, that's inched in folk law.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Indeed it is even now and will be for many
many more years. But let's fast forward to now to
the present day. The Storm won the minor premiership this year,
nineteen wins from their twenty four games. They got rid
of the Sharks and the Roosters fairly comfortably in their
finals matches. Would you have them as favorites against the
Panthers tonight the.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Storm, Well, it's a tough one. You know. The last
the Panthers have been in the last five Grand Finals,
the last team to beat them in the Grand Final
is the Melbourne Stare so it all aug as well.
But if you look back, you know this year they've
been the best two teams. I think the Storm has
probably gone to you know, and it's a tough one
(05:44):
because Nathan Cleary hasn't played too much of them. I
watched the game last week with the Sharks and there
was a couple of little crazy for Penrith, which you know,
usually that's very very clinical. They don't make too many years,
but they made a few years. So you know, it's
going to be a tough game. But I just think
with the spine that the Melbourne Storm have in the
form that Jerome Hughes, Harry Grant, Ryan Pepperinowsen and also
(06:08):
Karen munster in It's going to be a tough game.
Could go anyway, but I'm tipping the Storm to win
this one tonight.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yeah. Jerome Hughes delim won a popular winner too during
the week. How important, how integral is he to the
storm side.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, it's really interesting And I don't know if you
saw the Daily In speech and he talked about, you
know how he's sort of grown into their role and
done really well. But he credits Craig Bellamy's given him
some confidence. He credits been part of the New Zealand
Kiwi team last year. You know, he's really grown into
this role as a leader and he's really got their
confidence now to lead from the front. So I think,
(06:45):
you know, with Monster the over the last couple of years,
he was just sitting back. He's quite shy Jerome in
terms of that, but you know he's really stepped that
up and I think and I heard Craig Bellamy talked
to him earlier in the year about you know, him
taking that leadership role, on him owning the games, and
you know he's just thrived in that this year and
gone to another level. So when you think about you know,
(07:05):
Ivan Cleary's probably the best players, I mean, Nathan Carey
the last two or three seasons. You know, Jerome's on
a part probably this season has probably you know edged
out in front of them. But it's hard to beat Penriff.
You know, they've been there the last there's their fifth
Greend final in the row, so you know, I've got
some experience, but they've lost a bit of experience too,
So you know, these things catch up with you when
(07:26):
you're playing finals when the pressure comes on. You know,
you've just got to keep in the grind. And I
think with Melbourne and you've seen that over the last
two you know, the final series, they've gone about their
business very very well. Melbourn don't really beat themselves. You've
got to do something extraordinary to beat them because they're
defensively they're really good and they're fit. They're very fit,
so they can manage that hang in the contest for
(07:47):
big minutes. I think the game against the Sharks they
completed was it fifty six out of fifty eight cents
or something ninety five percent something like that account It
was something some astronomical number in terms of that. So
and now they expect that they have as Craig Bellamy,
you know, he just continues to in the depth and
(08:08):
you know, give these players and I think Piney if
you look at a couple of their best crows, Sean
Law played two years at the Tigers and was a
wooden spoon. Elie Kator now the last couple of years
came from the Warriors. Yeah he had a bit of talent,
but they'd both gone to another level. So you know,
when you think about players in what they can do
(08:28):
in the environment that they create, you know, Craig Bellamy's
and master at doing it.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yeah, fascinating grand final and prospect and I could be
one of the best ever to What a great chatting
Raby league with you mate. Thanks for taking the time.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Why is it privileged piny? No worries and go the
Mighty Storms.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
We go the storm are right you? I suppose there's
your old team, Isn't that That's fair enough? Good on
your thanks indeed, Tonic.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talks the'd be weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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