A winger has never won the Clive Churchill Medal — and if Brian To’o can’t do it, it probably can’t be done

Typical knowledge says a winger cannot win the Clive Churchill Medal for finest participant within the NRL grand remaining.

It is by no means occurred within the awards’ 37-year historical past, with playmakers and infrequently forwards dominating the checklist of previous winners as outdoors backs get ignored within the chilly.

The bookies expect it to occur once more, with Brisbane’s Reece Walsh and Penrith’s Nathan Cleary heat favourites to take it house after Sunday’s decider.

But when ever a winger might win it, it is Brian To’o, and if he cannot do it then it in all probability cannot be completed in any respect as a result of it is arduous to see a winger doing greater than what To’o has managed in Penrith’s most important wins over their exceptional four-season run.

The highlight is at all times drawn in direction of backbone gamers however To’o has quietly put collectively a repute as the most effective big-game performers in the complete sport. It is arduous to think about a winger doing extra on the most important stage.

He was at it once more in Penrith’s 38-4 win over Melbourne within the preliminary remaining when he scored three tries, ran for 181 metres and broke 9 tackles.

After the match, To’o was limping round on a sore calf and regarded like he’d simply been in a automobile crash, however that is common for the nuggety Samoan worldwide. The bumps and bruises he wears aren’t an occupational hazard — they’re why he does what he does on the sector.

“I at all times have the urge to return off that discipline and really feel busted up, however I at all times need extra of it. I can not get sufficient of it,” To’o stated.

“It is at all times part of the job however I like it. I really like the physicality, the battle between two groups.

“With the large events, everybody has to play their position and do their half. That is all I am making an attempt to do; I simply need to do my job to the perfect of my capability.”

The most effective of To’o’s capability has confirmed itself to be fairly rattling good, and the numbers he is put up over the previous few finals collection are completely wild.

He is acquired 182cm and 97kg of Samoan metal at his disposal and, by God, he will use it the one method he is aware of how — by operating the ball over and time and again till there’s no one else to run it at.

To’o has scored 12 tries in 11 finals matches because the begin of 2020, together with at the least one in every of Penrith’s 4 preliminary remaining wins and in three throughout two completely different grand finals.

Over the previous three finals collection, To’o has averaged 24 carries, 229.5 metres and 6.75 sort out busts per recreation and proven an important knack for peaking on the proper time.

In 2021, it was his attempt simply after half-time that put Penrith in management of their epic preliminary remaining win over Melbourne, which he scored on a busted ankle.

Final yr he was at it once more with a long-range intercept attempt that flipped the script within the prelim win over Souths and on the best way he despatched Cody Walker to the land of wind and ghosts with a hellacious fend.

And, like all big-game specialists, To’o by no means peaks too early. In every of Penrith’s two grand remaining victories he is produced his highest run metre whole of the finals.

And final yr, when he scored two tries and churned out 299 yards on the bottom, solely a sterling show from fullback Dylan Edwards stored him from claiming man of the match honours.

It was the second yr in a row To’o might declare runner-up standing for the Clive Churchill Medal — he ran for a whopping 299 metres from 24 runs within the membership’s 14-12 win over South Sydney the yr earlier than, lacking out to halfback Nathan Cleary.

However the legend of Massive Recreation Bizza has stored rising on a regular basis, and he is already acquired slightly little bit of {hardware} to show it after To’o claimed the Brad Fittler Medal as New South Wales’ finest participant on this yr’s Origin collection.

To’o is humble to a fault and dismissed any speak he might make historical past on Sunday towards Brisbane.

In keeping with him, his power, sturdiness, and inhuman willingness to maintain taking up each opposition defender he can discover comes from his teammates.

“I get it from our middles, as a result of I do know they’re busting their arses,” To’o stated. “I get motivation from them. They do the arduous yards they usually’re extra busted than me.”

“I get again and do my job for them.

“My drive comes from not solely my household and my religion however from the boys now we have right here. Everybody is prepared to return and put the arduous work in, and it is an infectious power.

“We now have that can to grind arduous for one another.”