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There’s more than one reason for Kiwi rugby league fans to tune in to the NSW Cup grand final this Sunday.
Not only are the Newtown Jets and North Sydney Bears two proud foundation clubs playing their first grand final against each other since 1943, but it will be a chance for the Warriors faithful to catch a glimpse of a new signing.
Hooker Sam Healey was announced as a Warriors player a week ago on a three-year deal from relative obscurity for those not tuned in to the NSW Cup, the reserve grade competition for the NRL.
The 21-year-old has been in the Cronulla Sharks system his whole junior career, the Jets being the Shark’s feeder club, and has notched 36 appearances for Newtown. His father is also a Sharks great, the fifth most capped of all time with 222 appearances.
Across 24 showings this year Healey has scored eight tries and averaged 56 metres and 23 tackles a game with 60 tackle breaks, four try assists, four line break assists and 21 offloads.
Speaking to the Herald ahead of Sunday’s grand final Healey says his side’s approach will be business as usual as they face the minor premiership-winning Bears.
“Obviously it’s a bigger game and we need to be aware that the stakes are bit higher, but I think we just keep doing what we’re doing it’s been working for us.”
Sunday is Healey’s first grand final in junior rep footy and he says the history between the two clubs will only add to the occasion.
“They’re two great clubs with a lot of history, great pathways through [to the NRL] and it’s a privilege to play for the Jets and share this moment with the Bears.”
Speaking of those pathways, the move from Australia across the Tasman is a significant move for the Warriors in luring away a bright prospect from another NRL club’s system.
“I’ve spent my whole junior pathways career at Cronulla, made a lot of mates along the way. But for me to progress my footy career and hopefully play NRL I had to move. It’s more about the opportunity to play NRL, learn from a guy like Wayde [Egan, Warriors hooker] who’s in my opinion one of the best nines in the comp.
“It’s more about the development of my game and hopefully have the opportunity to play NRL.”
Warriors signing Sam Healey playing from Newtown Jets. Photo / Mario Facchini / Mafphotography
From the outside looking in the Warriors already have a stable of NRL-calibre hookers in Egan, Freddy Lussick and Paul Roache who have all played that position in 2024 and present a positional log jam in first grade.
Healey says he sees it differently, as an opportunity to learn and grow his own game rather than something that would hold his career back.
“All of them have NRL experience, there’s something I can pick apart from each of their games.
“Competing against each other and brining out the best in each other I think we’re all only going to get better from competing and working harder.”
Conversations with Warriors coach Andrew Webster and head of pathways and recruitment Andrew McFadden were what sealed the deal for Healey, he says.
“They explained where I’d sit, what they were looking for and what they liked about me. I decided that was a great opportunity for me and something that I wanted to pursue.”
The Warriors under Webster primarily employ a two-hooker system, largely comprised this season of Egan and Lussick while the Sharks traditionally use one hooker that will play 80 minutes.
This was a crucial factor in Healey’s decision to swap sky blue for Warriors blue, Healey says.
“That opportunity, learning off those guys there will be two spots I can play for. So that sort of enticed me.”
The “Up the Wahs” movement took the NRL by storm in 2023′s historic run to the finals by the Warriors and Healey says playing front of a full house at Go Media Stadium is a goal he hopes to achieve.
“Being over there [playing NSW Cup] and seeing it first hand was a real eye-opener and once they reached out I wanted to be a part of it. It’s really exciting I can actually be a part of that.”
The NSW Cup grand final kicks off on Sunday at 5pm NZT and can be watched in New Zealand on NSWRL TV.
Will Toogood is an online sports editor for the NZ Herald. He enjoys watching people chase a ball around on a grass surface so much he decided to make a living out of it.
