As happy as he is to win his first premiership in his 273rd and final NRL game, Michael Ennis is even happier for the Cronulla Sharks.
Almost half a century of waiting for a top grade title was blown away on Sunday night as the Sharks edged out Melbourne 14-12 in an enthralling contest at ANZ Stadium.
Ennis joined the club two seasons ago from Canterbury and found a new lease of life in the shire, playing career best football that saw him earn a State of Origin recall.
But the 32-year-old father of four said
“I’m so happy. I’m stoked that I’ve won a grand final but I’m more happy for the club.
“They gave me such a great opportunity and the confidence of Flano and Steve Price and James Shepherd and all those guys put in me to play the footy that I have. The friendships that I’ve formed with my teammates and people in the club.
“To see the streets lined today when that bus pulled out it makes it all worthwhile.”
Like Cronulla, Ennis has suffered his own grand final heartbreak before.
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 last Sunday’s opponents Melbourne.
Ennis also missed Brisbane’s 2006 grand final victory – also over Melbourne – when he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
“As a kid I won a lot of junior grand finals and I kind of just thought that once I got here I’d win a couple along the way,” Ennis said.
“[But] they’re so bloody hard to win. It’s been worth the wait. 14 years, it was worth the wait.
“I felt it slipping out of my hands in that second half there. The boys were just so hungry. They just put the foot down. It’s awesome.
“Melbourne just don’t get beat when they get in front. They’re hard enough to get in front of let alone when they find that rhythm and get back in front [to chase them down].
“And with 15 minutes to go they close them out. So we just had to stay positive. We spoke about how we were trying to play too lateral. We needed to go back to playing through the middle. And [Andrew] Fifita, what a player.
As for Shane Flanagan, the man who brought Ennis to the club, the veteran hooker described him as a friend for life.
“He’s done so much for me,” he said.
“He’s done far more for me away from footy than he has on the field. And I think that’s why I’ve played the footy that I have under him. I felt like I owed it to him.”
