‘Keeping his cards close to his chest’: NRL grand final to decide back row spot for World Cup

Grand final rivals Shaun Lane and Liam Martin could be competing for more than just a premiership ring on Sunday night.

Shaun Lane is playing for more than a premiership on Sunday. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

If Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga hasn’t settled on his squad for next month’s World Cup, then he only has to tune in for 80 minutes on Sunday as two key rivals battle it out for potentially one spot in the back row.

Meninga is set to announce a squad of 24 players next week, with plenty of spots still up in the air after a host of players declared they would play for other nations in what shapes up to be one of the most even World Cups on record.

With so many forwards suddenly unavailable, the Aussies will be forced to pick some uncapped players for the tournament, with a couple of leading candidates set to go head-to-head in the grand final.

Parramatta’s Shaun Lane and Penrith’s Liam Martin are both in contention for a back-row spot, and fittingly, the pair will line up opposite each other on Sunday.

Shaun Lane is having a breakout year. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Lane is coming off one of the great second halves against the Cowboys where he popped offloads, set up a try and charged down a kick at the death to help the Eels reach their first decider in 13 years.

He hasn’t represented his state or his country before, but he is one game away from booking his spot on the plane to England.

“I don’t know about anything to do with rep footy,” Lane said.

“I think Mal is keeping his cards pretty close to his chest.

“I’m sure we’ll find out everything to do with the team after the game on Sunday, but I’m not concentrating on that stuff at the moment.

“We’ll let that happen if it happens, and if not, then it’s all understandable.”

Martin has played six matches for the Blues but has never donned the famous green and gold jersey.

He says it would be an honour to make the squad but knows he’s in for a torrid 80 minutes against the hulking edge forward from the Eels.

Playing for Australia would be incredible, Liam Martin says. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“He’s been playing out of his skin this year. He plays such a key role for Parra so I’m going to have to do a job on him to limit his impact with Dylan Brown on that edge,” he said.

“I’d absolutely love to be on the plane. It would be incredible to represent my country, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself.

“It’ll be awesome if it happens, but I won’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t.”

Hearing Lane speak so confidently about his first grand final should come as no surprise given he’s got a diploma in psychology and has matured on and off the field after a tough start to his career.

It’s also why he didn’t hesitate to throw a no-look pass to Maika Sivo that set up what turned out to be the matchwinning try last Friday.

“You don’t think about anything except what’s in front of you,” he explained.

“I didn’t have any doubt in my mind when I threw that pass, and that’s the key for optimal performance. You need to understand your capabilities subconsciously because you’ve practised plenty of situations similar to that.

“You see something and then in a flash you act on it and you throw a pass that you’ve practised a thousand times before. Luckily, it went to Maika and he scored the try.”

Originally published as ‘Keeping his cards close to his chest’: NRL grand final to decide back row spot for World Cup