North Queensland Cowboys ace Te Maire Martin has never been to an NRL grand final

TE Maire Martin has never even been to an NRL grand final. Now he is on the verge of completing rugby league’s greatest fairytale on the big stage.

NQ Cowboys return to Townsville after reaching NRL grand final. Jake Granville, Javid Bowen and Te Maire Martin. Picture: Evan Morgan

TE Maire Martin has never even been to an NRL grand final. Now he is on the verge of completing rugby league’s greatest fairytale when he takes centre stage at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

Only Martin’s 2017 could match the feats achieved by the Cowboys this year. Unwanted and unloved at the Panthers, since his mid-season arrival in Townsville Martin has become the cut-price hero who has filled the breech left by Johnathan Thurston.

Martin will take his place in what will be the first time he has witnessed an NRL grand final live. And it could double as the best birthday present ever with Martin turning 22 the day after the decider.

Martin scored a brilliant try against the Roosters.

“I’ve never been (to a grand final),” Martin said. “I can’t believe it’s actually happened. I can’t wipe the smile off myself. It’s pretty unreal.

“It is so crazy.”

Martin’s career was at the crossroads just six months ago. He played the opening seven games of the season but was banished to NSW Cup when the Panthers just won two matches. With an NRL return unlikely, Martin made the mid-season switch to North Queensland, who had to make up just $50,000 of his wage.

FORM GUIDE: Who will win it all?

DON’T DO IT: Legends wouldn’t play Scott

His switch became even more important when Thurston was ruled out for the season.

“To think I was playing reserve grade at the start of the year to being in a grand final it has been pretty special,” Martin said. “It’s crazy how it’s happened.

The Cowboys playmaker is in top form.

“It was tough when I got moved from first grade but that’s how it was. I tried to work hard to get back in (the NRL). It didn’t happen. My manager said things happen for a reason and that’s what happened here. It’s led me to a path where I’m now at a grand final.

“We knew it was a good opportunity for me to learn off Thurston. He got injured and it wasn’t the plan that anyone wanted to happen.”

Thurston heaped praise on Martin.

“He has been great since he arrived at our club,” Thurston said. “He is not overplaying his hand and he is doing his job.

“I’ll have a chat to him during the week. The boys are riding the wave at the moment. It’s important they stay relaxed.”

Martin said Green had given him a simple game plan. Part of that was not trying to emulate Thurston’s heroics.

“I’ve got a different role to how he plays,” Martin said. “I said from that start I couldn’t do what he does. I needed to play my game and try and take bits of his game that I need to.

Martin has found a new home in North Queensland.

“He helps me through that and what I need to do. I’ve got a simple game plan and Paul Green helps me through that being a former half himself. I’m enjoying every moment.

“A few more older boys help me out a lot. At Penrith we had a younger squad but the experience around the Cowboys helped me out.”

Martin, who made his Kiwi debut last year, showed his confidence on Saturday night when he sliced through a handful of Roosters defenders to race 30 metres to score the opening try of the match.

Martin said it was the best of his nine NRL tries.

“It was definitely the biggest crowd I’ve played in front of,” Martin said. “We practised it from the start of the week. It was special. Greens (Green) has some good plays to work on a weaknesses the defence has.

“The defence had eyes for the outside players around me. I had Coops (Gavin Cooper) and Justin O’Neill and Antonio Winterstein outside me.

“The Roosters saw the threat out there and left me a good gap. I closed my eyes and went through and prayed that I’d get to the end.”