Cronulla hooker Michael Ennis will play his 273rd and final NRL game in the decider on Sunday but is adamant the grand final should be about the team and the club – and not him.
The signing of the 32-year-old has proved to be a masterstroke from Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan, with Ennis discovering career best form in his two seasons in the shire.
And while Ennis is desperate to sign off with a premiership of his own, he said the focus shouldn’t be on him.
“Next week is wonderful for me personally that I get an opportunity in my last game of footy ever to play in a grand final,” he said.
“It's unbelievable, to be honest. But there's 17 of us who will run out next Sunday so it's certainly not about me individually.”
Like Cronulla, Ennis has his own grand final heartbreak.
He missed the 2014 decider, Canterbury’s grand final loss to the Rabbitohs, with a fractured foot and tasted defeat with the Bulldogs in 2012 against Sunday’s opponents Melbourne.
Ennis also missed Brisbane’s 2006 grand final victory – also over Melbourne – when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
And Ennis is desperate for one final crack at a title.
“I knew when I came to the Sharks that we had the squad capable of [winning a premiership],” he said.
“I'm grateful it's happened and I'm looking forward to the chance now.
"It's important we take [the support] in. We have wonderful supporters and we've seen that all year. Through the week, driving the streets of Cronulla and seeing the flags on cars and out the front of the houses, my one thought was 'I hope we don't let them down' and I'm glad we didn't.”
Cronulla have a poor record against Melbourne, losing 11 of their last 13 games against the Storm.
But Ennis said the team were not getting ahead of themselves.
"It's important to get your head around the fact we haven't achieved anything yet,” he said.
“It's a great reward and we want to have a big crack at it next weekend. Our young guys are so motivated by what we want to achieve.
“You can never predict what happens next Sunday but I know we'll do everything we can to make sure we're ready."