Harry Grant (rugby league)

Harry Grant (born 17 February 1998) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a hooker for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australia at international level.

Grant played for the Wests Tigers on loan for the 2020 NRL season. The arrangement between Wests and the Storm to trade Grant with Paul Momirovski was the first loan arrangement in NRL history.

He has played at representative level for Queensland in State of Origin.

Early life

Grant is from Yeppoon, Queensland and was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, and educated at St. Brendan's College, Yeppoon.

Grant almost died when he was 12 years old after contracting a staphylococcal infection. He was admitted to intensive care and underwent three operations before being placed on a course of antibiotics for five months. He then sustained a compound fracture in one of his legs when he an all-terrain vehicle rolled on the beach. As a result, he was unable to play rugby league for two years.

His older brother George Grant is also a rugby league player who has represented the Central Queensland Capras in the Queensland Cup as well as the Yeppoon Seagulls in the Rockhampton Senior Local Rugby League competition.

They both played their junior rugby league for the Yeppoon Seagulls.

Playing career

2016–2017: Early career

Grant played for the Melbourne Storm Holden Cup team from 2016 to 2017, scoring 9 tries and playing 21 games.

While playing for Melbourne Storm National Youth Competition, he also made appearances for Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Instrust Super Cup. At the seasons end at Rugby League Players Association Awards night he was recipient of the National Youth Competition player of the year award.

2018–2019: NRL Debut and further development

He made his NRL debut for the Melbourne Storm in their Round 11 match against Manly-Warringah . He had his Melbourne jersey (cap number 188) presented to him by Melbourne captain Cameron Smith.

In 2019 Grant spent the majority of the season playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup, taking them to the minor premiership and earning a spot in the Queensland Cup Team of the Year. He was also named the Falcons Player of the Year, winning the James Ackerman Medal.

In Round 25 he made his second NRL appearance, coming off the bench in Melbourne's 24–16 win over North Queensland.

2020: Wests Tigers Loan

During the lead up to the 2020 NRL season the Wests Tigers and Melbourne Storm attempted to arrange a temporary player swap between Grant and Wests Tigers player Paul Momirovski. The primary catalyst of this was Wests Tigers requiring reinforcements at Grant's preferred position of hooker due to the retirement of Robbie Farah and long-term injury to Wests Tigers preferred replacement Jacob Liddle. Grant, being Melbourne's third choice at his preferred position behind Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith and New Zealand Kiwis international hooker Brandon Smith was receptive to the move and began to push for it himself. Initially the NRL salary cap administrators refused to process the request because Melbourne would have gone over the salary cap if the deal had been processed at that time.

After the NRL initially rejected the arrangement, Grant requested an immediate release from his Melbourne contract in the hopes of joining the Wests Tigers as soon as possible though this did not eventuate.

There were further delays due to injury to Brandon Smith causing Melbourne to hold up proceedings so they could have Grant provide back up to Cameron Smith in the early rounds of the season, and briefly by Momirovski wishing to sign a new contract with Wests Tigers prior to leaving, but the deal was finally made official during round 2 of the season on March 21, 2020. This deal was the first of its kind in the NRL.

Grant was selected in the Queensland 27 man squad for the 2020 State of Origin series, Grant debut in Game 3 of the series in a 20-14 win scoring the match sealing try winning the series 2-1.

2021–present: Regular game time and National debut

Despite missing a number of games through injury, Grant was selected in the Queensland team for Game 1 of the 2021 State of Origin series. Grant played a total of 15 games for Melbourne in the 2021 NRL season as the club won 19 matches in a row and claimed the Minor Premiership. Grant played both finals matches including the preliminary final where Melbourne suffered a shock 10-6 loss against eventual premiers Penrith.

In October Grant was named in the Australia squad for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

Grant played for Australia in their 2021 Rugby League World Cup final victory over Samoa.

In November he was named in the 2021 RLWC Team of the Tournament.

In the opening game of the 2023 NRL season against the Parramatta Eels, Grant scored the first golden point try in Melbourne Storm history. Grant played in all three games of the 2023 State of Origin series as Queensland won the shield 2-1. Grant played 25 games for Melbourne in the 2023 NRL season and as the club finished third on the table. Grant played in all three finals games for Melbourne as the club reached the preliminary final stage before losing to Penrith.

On 7 Feb 2024 Harry Grant became the 15th Melbourne Storm Captain taking over from Christian Welch.

Grant was named on the bench for Queensland ahead of game one in the 2024 State of Origin series.

Statistics

*stats correct as of the end of the 2023 season

Awards

Competition

• Queensland Cup:

2019 – Team of the Year

• NRL Dally M Awards:

2020 – Rookie of the Year

• Rugby League Players Association:

2017 – NYC Player of the Year

2020 – Rookie of the Year

Club

• Sunshine Coast Falcons

2019 – James Ackerman Medal (Player of the Year)

• Melbourne Storm

2017 – Darren Bell Under 20s Player of the Year

2019 – Cooper Cronk Feeder Play of the Year

2022 – Best Forward

• Wests Tigers

2020 – Rookie of the Year

References

External links

• Melbourne Storm profile