- Storm take on Panthers in NRL grand final
- Cameron Munster lit a fuse before the match
- He will face his old rival Liam Martin
Liam Martin admitted he was left baffled by Cameron Munster’s claims that the pair did not get along, stating that he thought the pair were never on bad terms.
Munster lit a fuse before the grand final between Penrith and Melbourne when he admitted he and Martin did not get along as Kangaroos teammates in 2022.
The pair first ran into trouble in the 2021 State of Origin series, when Munster were fined for kicking Martin in the stomach while the NSW second rower was face down on the ground.
Martin had also previously targeted Munster as the opposition playmaker on their side of the pitch and made no secret of his desire to chase him again in the grand final.
But Martin said he was not aware of there ever being any problems between him and the Storm five-eighth.
Liam Martin (pictured) admitted he was shocked by Cameron Munster’s claims the pair didn’t get along.
Munster (pictured) admitted he and Martin did not get along as Kangaroos teammates in 2022.
“I was quite surprised, I thought we were fine,” Martin told AAP.
But if he feels that way, it doesn’t really matter. It won’t change the way I’ll do things on Sunday. I’m quite surprised, but it doesn’t really matter.
‘I won’t worry at all. “I’m not going to change my game plan on that, I think it is what it is.”
Martin will act as Nathan Cleary’s bodyguard in Sunday’s decider, with former Panther Shawn Blore directing traffic on the injured No. 7’s shoulder.
But Martin has also made no secret of the fact that he intended to try to make Munster’s life a living hell on the Storm’s left edge at the Accor Stadium.
“I’m going to have to do it,” Martin said.
“He’s a high-quality player and I love going up against him in the battles we have, so this will be no different.”
It was those comments that prompted Munster’s surprising response on Monday.
Martin (left) has also made no secret of the fact that he intended to try and make life for Munster (right) a living hell on the Storm’s left edge at the Accor Stadium.
Cameron Munster (second from right) was reported for kicking Liam Martin (below)
“It’s funny, looking back, we probably didn’t like each other in the Australian camps, although we get along pretty well at the moment,” Munster said.
“I’m sure Sunday will be a little different, so I’m looking forward to the battle.
“We’ve always had a big rivalry and we wanted to be competitive and outdo each other. He’ll want to cut my head off and vice versa.
“He is a quality player, very strong and very aggressive… I know he is coming, so I am going to go out and play the football I can play.”
“He’s tried to get under my skin and it worked a couple of times, so I just have to get out there and not burn out.”