Watch: The three moments that prove Harry Grant is in a league of his own

These were the subtle moments that summed up Harry Grant’s wizardry and cemented his reputation as rugby league’s leading hooker. While plenty of plaudits were saved for his Maroons teammates following Queensland’s 44-24 Origin triumph on Wednesday – man of the match Sam Walker and hat-trick hero Selwyn Cobbo among them – Grant proved to be the lesser-sung assassin who tore the Blues defence to shreds. The Melbourne Storm star was a meticulously timed threat, running the ball just five times and making them count.

They came once he smelled blood as Queensland’s forwards began to win the territory battle – Max Plath (115 running metres), Reuben Cotter (127 metres) and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (125 metres) particularly dominant. In contrast, Hudson Young was the only member of the NSW engine room to surpass 100 metres. “He’s a good player Harry, a really good player, and he needs his team to play well for him to get those opportunities,” Maroons coach Billy Slater said.

“I think Harry’s on top of his game when everyone is doing their job.” It began with Queensland trailing 12-2, and in desperate need of a spark. Their heads had dropped after Kotoni Staggs scored following Thomas Flegler’s knock-on off the kick-off, and conceded again when a regathered ricochet from a grubber ended with Mark Nawaqanitawase crossing in the corner.

But when Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow made a break on the fifth tackle of the Maroons’ 27th-minute set, Grant sensed opportunity. Rather than passing back in field for a Walker or Cameron Munster final-play kick, he saw the smallest of passages down the short side to work his magic. As he ran, the Blues defence scattered, and instinct football took over – a Munster offload and slick passes from Walker and Max Plath putting Trent Loiero over to get their side back in the hunt.

Come the second half, as he helped the Maroons claw back the momentum, Grant’s ruck identification was at work again. Noticing Victor Radley rushing out of the line, his darting 56th-minute run on his inside shoulder opened the gap for him to unleash Kalyn Ponga. From the next play, Munster’s cross-field bomb was latched onto by Jojo Fifita to extend the lead.

But his finest moment? Leave arguably the best player in the game, Nathan Cleary, grasping at air. Grant saw the superstar halfback’s shoulders turn instantly, and exploited that to perfection – holding his pass and striding through the gap, before finding a runaway Lindsay Collins.

It was a play which left the man he replaced in the Storm and Maroons’ No.9 jumper, Cameron Smith, gushing in Channel Nine commentary. “The cue Harry Grant was looking for was, have a look at the angle his [Cleary’s] hips and shoulders are facing – he’s on that 45 degree [angle], he’s facing Lindsay Collins, he’s facing his own sideline,” Smith said.

“When you’re defending against a dummy-half like Harry Grant, you’ve got to be square. He’s heading towards that left-hand touchline, and all you have to do is show that ball and away you go.” Rugby league’s introduction of the six-again ruck infringement laws has made the game a far faster product, and the way a hooker can manipulate the ruck has become one of the most important facets of a winning side.

Grant has mastered that, and Queensland will need him to do so again on July 8, with Munster calling for the squad’s intensity to remain after losing their last Brisbane decider in 2024. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to win the game because we’ve got a home-ground advantage and have got our fans there, the boys had a similar situation in 2024,” Munster said. “The job’s not done – we can sit here and be comfortable with what we did, or we can go after it and make something special as a group.

We did something special last year, and I can’t see why we can’t do it this year.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.

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