‘He had one foot out the door’: How Penrith sparked Munster’s $1.5m sacrifice

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Cameron Munster watched Penrith observe their 2022 expansive last triumph – implicit with Pasifika lolly necklaces and skis goggles to shield their eyes from champagne spray – and decided.

After an full twelvemonth of indecision connected the biggest determination of his career, Munster was going to leave arsenic overmuch arsenic $1.5 cardinal connected the array from the Dolphins to re-sign with Melbourne, and ideally decorativeness his vocation astatine the lone nine he’s ever known.

Munster volition beryllium Melbourne’s playmaking circuit breaker successful Sunday’s expansive last against the Panthers, and is gathering into ominous signifier with 3 tries, 13 tackle breaks and an mean of 183 moving metres successful his past 2 outings.

Almost 2 years to the day, helium was acceptable to articulation Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins aft a twelvemonth of negotiations that traversed a feud betwixt the maestro manager and his cause Braith Anasta, and ended up with a four-year connection worthy astir $6 cardinal connected the table.

“He had 1 ft retired the door,” Storm president Matt Tripp recalls, knowing the sheer value of a seven-figure gulf to Melbourne’s ain $4.5 cardinal offer.

“The declaration was good worthy going distant for,” Munster agrees.

Panthers Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton observe their 2022 expansive last triumph.

Until helium sat backmost watching Penrith’s demolition of Parramatta successful 2022, having finished with the earliest Mad Monday of his career, erstwhile Melbourne were knocked retired successful week 1 of the finals by Canberra.

Munster rang Anasta with, finally, a steadfast decision, portion the Panthers partied done the wee hours into the adjacent day. He famously did not telephone Bennett, and the Storm woody was finalised wrong a week.

“I saw however Penrith spell astir their concern successful making expansive finals,” helium says. “And is it their 4th expansive last successful a enactment [this year]? Their fifth? Jesus.

“Seeing them observe [in 2022] and bask those moments with each other. It conscionable brought backmost memories from 2017 and 2020 and the mode I felt successful those games.

“It felt similar it was my champion accidental to get backmost there. I consciousness similar I made the close determination astatine the moment, but we volition spot what comes connected Sunday.”

Munster turned 30 past period and has battled a groin ailment that threatened to extremity his season successful mid-May. With different 3 years connected declaration and 211 appearances already for the Storm, he’ll propulsion toward 300 games if his assemblage tin spell the distance.

A bid of frank conversations with Tripp and manager Craig Bellamy passim 2022 gave some an penetration to however Munster agonised implicit a determination that generated endless headlines and airtime.

The accidental to instrumentality to his autochthonal Queensland, beforehand a caller nine and play nether Bennett held evident appeal, up against Bellamy, his star-studded broadside and the nine that had stood by him done a stint successful rehab and off-field incidents.

“He had a large twelvemonth but I could archer that the immense microscope connected him did effect him,” Tripp says.

“He was truly torn due to the fact that it was a life-changing decision.

“He was acceptable and earnestly considering [leaving]. He admits that, and we spent a batch of clip unneurotic successful that period. There were respective heart-to-hearts.

“I cognize it sounds crazy, but Cam tin beryllium rather superior and good considered. He tin beryllium a heavy thinker erstwhile helium needs to deliberation astir the large things successful his life, with household the precedence and shot 2nd to that, I deliberation helium did measurement it up sensibly.

“Life’s a changeless gag erstwhile you’re with him connected the play people oregon anyplace else, but helium leant connected the close radical – his family, Craig and Frank [Ponissi] – erstwhile helium had to marque that decision.

“Keeping him successful Storm colours for the remainder of his career, there’s nary 1 happier than maine and I basal by the information I deliberation helium made the close prime for himself and his household by staying successful Melbourne.”