Melbourne Storm star Justin Olam feels inundated by Papua New Guinea

Olam’s embarrassment at the mention is part of why he’s become a beloved part of the storm. Teammates marvel at his humility outside of the field, but at his willingness to transform himself into a human cannonball.

Above all, Olam can feel the love, not only from those in the storm bubble, but also from his homeland, Papua New Guinea. Should Melbourne win on Sunday – and should Olam fly again – the roar can be heard all the way to Homebush.

“I love love,” said Olam. “It’s constant from my family and friends and that’s all I need. But the support was incredible. ”

Those in the Storm setup have no problem declaring Olam to be one of the better centers in the game. A Premier League would complete its incredible rise from the highlands of PNG to the greatest stage the NRL can offer.

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He started playing at 18 and has become a coach’s dream. Olam took advice and instructions from Craig Bellamy and followed them up on the letter.

“The good thing about him is that he lets you play your game and whenever he has to step in, he’ll pull up and tell me what to do,” said Olam. “You know what to expect, which is to play your game and do your part.”

Olam is at home on the Sunshine Coast, where he played the Intrust Super Cup for the Falcons before advancing to the NRL. Being able to prepare for a grand finale in relative solitude was a blessing in disguise and helped keep nerves in check for as long as possible.

“That’s the good … it’s pretty quiet,” said Olam. “My mindset is to treat it like another game and I’ll do my best to do that. We were always tight and the bladder brought us closer. That’s the great thing. ”