Storm superstar Cameron Munster’s crafty cross-field kick to Will Warbrick had been rehearsed many times, but it had yet to come off during the heat of battle.
That was until it was needed on Friday night to save Melbourne Storm’s season and earn a preliminary final berth against the Panthers next week.
It was a set play and Warbrick was ready and waiting for the kick, which led to the sensational catch and an outstretched try to sink the gritty, undermanned Sydney Roosters at AAMI Park.
“Me and Munster have worked on that during the season a few times,” Warbrick said. “Nothing was said, there was no call for it, it’s just the eyes and with Munster you’re expecting anything.
“I just knew if he was kicking it my way I had to get to the chase. To be honest, I saw a blur and I’m still processing it all and letting it sink in. I’m just glad I was able to get the catch and I was able to get across.
“It was a crazy moment with the way my teammates reacted and the crowd, I’ve never had that experience before so I’m just soaking it in.”
Will Warbrick Try
With Queensland Origin winger Xavier Coates in the stands with an ankle injury, Warbrick knew he had to be one to provide the aerial wizardry that narrowly prevented a straight sets exit for Melbourne.
“To be honest, when Xavier’s playing he gets all the kicks,” he said.
“We’ve practiced it a few times and I hadn’t got a result from it and the coaches have been telling me to keep working on it and make it a strength of mine.
“To translate it from the training pitch to a game is pretty insane.”
After taking the sensational catch over the top of Roosters winger Junior Pauga, Warbrick was then able to pull it down and stretch out to touch the ball down over the try line.
'I haven't experienced anything like that': Warbrick
“I think it was instinct and I was lucky where I got myself in a position where I was still at arms’ length,” he said. “It was just all action and I backed myself to get the ball over.
“I was thinking just to own it and back myself, I think that’s what was going through my head. I knew it was coming and I just had to be confident and aggressive.”
The Storm were missing stars Jahrome Hughes, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Coates, and they had to pull out all the stops to bounce back from last week’s disappointing 26-0 loss to the Broncos in the qualifying final.
Munster: 'I'll remember that for a long time'
Warbrick said the week leading into the Roosters showdown was all about rediscovering their belief.
“The Roosters just wouldn’t go away, they’re a gritty side, they came to fight and it showed on the field,” said Warbrick, the second Storm player nicknamed 'Brick' following 1999 premiership captain Glenn Lazarus, who was known as 'The Brick With Eyes'.
“After last week’s performance we spoke about believing and trusting in our footy, and I think it showed tonight right to the dying stages.
“Reality was beginning to sink in when there was only a few minutes left and knowing we had to do something, but there was a sense of confidence and calmness throughout the team.”
The rugby union convert, who won an Olympic silver medal with the All Blacks sevens team, said he was in a “happy place” after cementing a first-grade spot this year following a season in the Queensland Cup in 2022.
He’ll now play in an NRL preliminary final in just his 24th game after debuting in round one.
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“It’s been a big learning curve,” he said. “Sevens is different when you play in a tournament for a couple of weeks and you have a few weeks off.
“But this is week in and week out, so for me it’s about trying to be consistent in my performance and do my job well.
“I’m still learning the game and I think the big thing is I’m just enjoying my time here in Melbourne and my teammates, the coaches, the city and the club.
“I’ve had an alright run this year and I’m still playing first grade, so I’m in a happy place.”