Cameron Munster is ready to make good on his $1.4 million sacrifice and win another premiership at Melbourne, after watching Penrith's dynasty convinced him he should stay at the Storm.
Munster will enter next Sunday's grand final against the Panthers as one of the Storm's most crucial players, after a season of fighting through groin pain to star in the No.6 jersey.
But the story could so easily have been different.
Munster was all but over the line as Wayne Bennett's marquee catch at the Dolphins on a deal worth close to $6 million over four seasons, after long, drawn-out negotiations through the 2022 season.
But his mind was changed on watching Penrith win that year's decider against Parramatta, with the Panthers' dominance lighting a fuse in him to stay at the Storm on a four-year deal worth close to $4.6 million.
"I just saw the way Penrith go about their business," Munster told AAP.
"They are one of the best teams this competition has had for a long time.
"To be able to get in that position again, or get that opportunity again, I thought it was the right decision to stay. Money isn't everything."
The Queensland star called Craig Bellamy the next day to inform him he no longer intended to leave for the Dolphins, and was re-signed with the Storm within a week.
Munster said a large part of his thinking centred on a desire to have another crack at the Panthers and the premiership, after Melbourne were beaten by Penrith in the 2021 preliminary final.
"Looking back on it, 2021 we had a good season and we fell down at the last hurdle," Munster said.
"That was something that stuck in my mind. That was a competition that was anyone's.
"In 2022 or 2023, Penrith were the best side and that's the reason they won three in a row. They love the big moments.
"I just wanted to get back there and try and play the best. And they're one of the best teams the comp has seen."
Another motivator for Munster is his desire to help lead Melbourne to a premiership after the exits of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk.
Next Sunday will be the Storm's 11th grand final in their 27-season history, but their first since the exit of the big three.
Munster played in Cronk's last grand final at Melbourne in 2017, Slater's last in 2018 and Smith's in 2020.
For years, critics questioned how the Storm would one day deal with the trio's exit, after the first of the initial big four in Greg Inglis departed the club
But in their place has stepped Ryan Papenhuyzen, Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant, who have made no secret of their desire to lead Melbourne into the next era.
"It's always in the back of your head (to win one after the big four). But that can't be my sole driving factor to win a comp," Munster said.
"We have a good young group of boys and we want to create memories together.
"We've got a great spine, I'm not going to sugar-coat that, but we have some great players around the spine as well. They don't get spoken about a lot.
"It's crazy to think we're back in a grand final and giving ourselves another chance to win it. You don't get these opportunities a lot."
