Finucane into with fifth NRL decider at 27

Melbourne lock Dale Finucane will line up for his fifth NRL grand final on Sunday but says he's far from complacent about the opportunity.

NRL

Melbourne Storm's Dale Finucane will play in his fifth NRl grand final. (AAP)

Dale Finucane already has a lane named after his family in their home town of Bega but if the Melbourne lock continues to make history a statue could be on the cards.

Finucane will run out for his fifth NRL grand final when the Storm line up against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday and at 27 years and 23 days, he will become the youngest player to reach such a mark since the Parramatta trio of Peter Sterling, Eric Grothe Snr and Steve Ella.

They played in their fifth back in 1986 while all aged 26.

After defeats with Canterbury in 2012 and 2014 and in 2016 with Melbourne, he finally tasted victory last year.

"I'm very lucky to be in my fifth grand final," Finucane said.

"It's something that I don't take for granted as it's an opportunity that may never come up again."

Despite his many years of September action Finucane tried to warn his younger teammates that his experience wasn't the norm.

"I've tried to tell the younger guys who have tasted success like Curtis Scott and Josh Addo-Carr, who were fortunate enough to have already won a grand final, and the others that it's a really unique opportunity."

This grand final comes at the end of Finucane's toughest season after twice injuring his right thumb.

Averaging 26 games since 2013, he played just 17 after fracturing his thumb, then on return knocking the screw in it which sidelined him again.

If there's any upside it's that he's energised for the title decider.

"Coming into the back end of the year I didn't feel like I'd played much football so I feel pretty fresh," Finucane said.

Finucane laughed at the mention of a monument on Finucane Lane.

"It's right next to a cemetery so I don't know what sort of monument I would have there," he said.


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Source: AAP



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