Star backrower Rhyse Martin was one of Noel Cleal’s final signings before he left Canterbury

Legendary talent scout and former Test and Origin star Noel Cleal was one of the first to go in the Canterbury cleanout but he left one final gift for the club - Rhyse Martin.

Martin has emerged as a star at Canterbury. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images.

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Noel ‘Crusher’ Cleal was one of the first victims of Canterbury’s rebuild but the legendary scout left one parting gift - Rhyse Martin.

With a restructure of the football department underway in late 2016, one which ultimately lead to his sacking, Cleal was still busy trying to lure Martin to Sydney.

A phone call with then coach Des Hasler and Cleal helped get the Papua New Guinea international over the line.

But the timing meant Martin has never spoken face-to-face with the man who helped resurrect his NRL career.

“Crusher got me here, he and Des. But even before I got to the club he got the sack and I didn’t get to meet him. I had signed a two-year deal to come here just before that [his sacking] happened,” Martin said.

“At that stage it was my first offer to come back into an NRL system. In Townsville I was playing Queensland Cup, I wasn’t contracted to the Cowboys at all.

“When I was signing my contract, I was sitting in a hotel room up there in Townsville with him and Des on the phone. Des just said he was excited to get me down here and that he was looking forward to working with me.”

But Martin and the coach rarely worked together while they were both at Belmore during 2017 - Hasler’s final year at the club.

Martin has emerged as a star at Canterbury. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images.

“I think Frank Pricthard went to the Parramatta Eels that year, Shaun Lane left to go to Manly... so there was a few spots in the back row and I thought it was a good chance to come down to play first grade,” Martin said.

“He had his team and I wasn’t getting in and I think that’s just how it was that year. I was 18th man a couple of times but never got that crack.

“But I’m grateful for the two years because I got a chance the next year.”

At late bloomer by NRL standards, Martin debuted at the age of 25 after new coach Dean Pay plucked him from reserve grade last year.

LISTEN! Matty reveals the biggest lie he ever told coach, the song he can’t get out of his head, an Origin rumour that won’t go away and what it’s like to have a video session under Tommy Raudonikis. Don’t miss this week’s episode of the Matty Johns podcast.

The goal kicking back rower quickly amassed a cult following and become a SuperCoach fan favourite.

Now with Cleal and Hasler both back at Manly, Martin will get to show the duo exactly why they plucked the then 23-year old from rugby league obscurity when the Bulldogs take on the Sea Eagles on tomorrow afternoon.

The Bulldogs are gunning for a back-to-back wins for the first time in eight months, after defeating North Queensland 24-12 last weekend.

Martin said with both sides ready to defend on Saturday, the difference in the outcome will be in attack.

“They’ve had a few injuries but are still performing. I think for us as a group we have to keep working hard but we need to ice our players and get some tries after we build pressure,” he said.

“There the little things we need to work on, we’re putting pressure on other team but not putting the points on.”

Originally published as Star backrower Rhyse Martin was one of Noel Cleal’s final signings before he left Canterbury