Penrith star sharing the grand final with his brother

Penrith forward Liam Martin is sharing his grand final dream with his brother Jarred, who passed away six years ago

Liam Martin is on the verge of Origin selection for NSW after a breakout year with the Panthers Picture: Getty Images

Penrith star Liam Martin talks about living a dream in Sunday night’s NRL grand final. Only it isn’t just his dream. It is the dream he shared with his brother Jarred, who tragically passed away six years ago when he took his own life.

So when Martin runs onto ANZ Stadium to confront the Melbourne Storm, he won’t be doing it just for himself. He will be doing it for the brother he lost and the family that will fill the stands, no doubt swelling with pride.

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“This is his dream and my dream,” Martin said.

“I am doing it for both of us pretty much. I was even thinking in the preliminary (final), what would he expect of me. I keep that in the back of my mind.

“I try to do what would do him proud.”

Asked what advice Jarred would have given him in the lead-up to Sunday night, Martin said: “Just to go as hard as I could, leave nothing out there.

“We were both the sort who never gave up. We talked more about playing footy together – he was six years older than me.

“The year he passed away was supposed to be our first year of playing footy together back in Temora but we never got the chance.

“It was more about playing footy together than anything else. This week, the opportunity doesn’t come around for very many people.

“It means so much this week. So I will be thinking about (him) more. Talking to all the family is great – my other brothers and sisters, Mum.

“But just imagining being able to sit down with him and talk about it would have been incredible.”

Martin comes from a close-knit family. His mother Maxine would religiously drive him to and from Temora to attend training when he was playing SG Ball at the Panthers. They watched the preliminary final against South Sydney on the edge of their seats.

“Mum would be incredibly proud, she has been there the whole journey,” Martin said.

“She has seen me achieve the ultimate dream. I reckon she would be more emotional than me. Yesterday they were saying how nervous and stressed they were.

“My sister is pregnant and she was saying this can’t be good for the baby, the stress. They are riding the journey with me.

“It is pretty special.”

The fact he hasn’t been able to give them a hug or catch up for a meal has tempered some of the enjoyment he has taken from Penrith’s 17-game winning streak.

“It’s been very hard,” he said.

“They have made most games but after games I usually hug Mum, talk to the family, have brunch. Standing there talking to them is not the same.

“It is pretty disheartening. But it is what it is. I haven’t been home since we have been back (from COVID), what is that May. It has been very difficult.”

The one positive is that he moved in with his partner Chelsea earlier this year.

“If I didn’t have her, I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am now,” he said.

“Living on my own in this period would have been a nightmare.”

The good news for Martin is that the NRL season is almost over, although he is unlikely to be able to head straight back to Temora given a place in the NSW side for the State of Origin series beckons.

So good has Martin been this season, he is now considered a lock for NSW. Simple maths vindicates that view. There are seven spots to fill in Brad Fittler’s 27-man squad and options to fill them are running out.

Martin may have a sky blue jersey to go with a grand final appearance. Asked it he had done the numbers, Martin smiled and replied: “A little bit, bit getting head of myself. I will be like there is seven spots left, two teams, I am a little bit of a chance.

“It would be an incredible opportunity. Early this year I was in the emerging Blues, but that was a year ago now.

“Oh God, it will be good, it would be unreal. Mates from back home that I have grown up with, they say you have this opportunity and you have to do whatever you can.

“If we get the chance to see you in a blue jersey, they say it would be incredible.”

Martin has a grand final to navigate first. He marshals the same side of the field that houses Melbourne super star Cameron Munster, a man who is adept at identifying a weakness and taking advantage.

Martin can’t afford to look beyond this week.

“They are a great organisation, what they do is ultimate professionalism,” he said.

“It is hard not to look at them. It is going to be a big job on him (Munster). He has been performing at the highest level for some time. It is going to be a big job on him.”

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