Munster was ready to walk away from Melbourne. Then Penrith changed everything

3 years ago - Sportingbase

There was a world where Cameron Munster would be marching out in new NRL club colours in 2024. While he did eventually re-sign with the only team he’s ever played for, the Queensland game-breaker admits he certainly had other plans for his footy future away from Melbourne.

Up until midway through the World Cup, the Storm star was “done.”

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He’d taken a long time to accept that. After nine seasons, 174 games, two premierships, and a rise to be one of the best players in rugby league, Munster was on the verge of leaving the Melbourne Storm for a new journey.

“Yep, I was done,” the 28-year-old star admitted to media this NRL offseason. “Trippy [Storm chairman Matt Tripp], the owners, club, they knew that. I told Craig if he wasn’t staying, I was going.”

There was one reason Munster was walking away: a new challenge. He’d already proven himself in the purple and white of the southern powerhouses and wanted to test himself in new waters. If that came with a payday north of seven figures, he wasn’t going to turn that down either. Then the 2022 NRL season came to an end.

The indomitable Panthers won again.

And Munster’s plans fell apart.

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The end of the 2022 campaign, watching the Penrith celebrations, and then hearing it all again with the Panthers cohort that turned up to the Aussie camp for the World Cup all wriggled into Munster’s mind over the weeks as his management team battled through negotiations.

And, suddenly, despite all his best-laid plans, the five-eighth had been swayed.

“I saw how Penrith won the final, went back-to-back,” he said. “How competitive they’ve been. I wanted to be that competitive, to play finals football. I realised the best chance to win another premiership was with Melbourne.

“Regardless of who is going to be the coach or the coaching staff, Melbourne is probably the place to get the best out of myself. It has obviously been a stressful time—I am not going to lie. I was jumping back and forth with decisions about what was best for me. I am not a guy who stresses out at all but I reckon this is the most stressful time I have had. I never wanted to leave and there was a stage there where I was going to do it. I had the idea that I was leaving.

“I had come to terms with it. I was like I am over the negotiations.”

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In early October, Munster told the Storm powerbrokers he was going to stay.

Weeks later, Melbourne unveiled their latest retention: Cameron Munster, staying at least four more years (a move that will keep him in purple until he’s 32 years old). Reports suggest they’re paying him around $1.1 million a season, though that will be see-sawed from 2024 to 2027 to balance out the salary cap dance.

It may not be green pastures, but Munster says he’s happy. He’s set himself a new challenge, re-ignited the fire to win another premiership—or two, or three in a row—and lead Melbourne into battle against one of the best footy outfits ever: the Panthers.

“It is something I am happy with. I won’t regret the decision,” he said.

“I am excited for the next five years. I am very lucky that it is done and dusted now and I can play some good footy for Australia. Obviously, we both had sudden changes of heart and tried to make it work. Ask anyone I was playing with and close to me and they thought I was a done deal and gone. I thought I was as well.

“I was legit just waiting until November to have a look at my options and see what options I had. There was lots of speculation about Redcliffe but I didn’t have any formal offers.”

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