This was published 7 years ago
NRL finals 2016: The Cheyse is on as Storm's Blair enters finals in ripping form
By Roy Ward
Cheyse Blair isn't taking any steps back as he heads into the NRL finals with Melbourne Storm.
The 24 year old outside back went to the Storm last October hoping to turn around his career after stints at Parramatta and Manly hadn't allowed him to show his talents and he has done so in spectacular fashion playing 14 games since going into the side mid-season.
Blair had arguably his best Storm game in the minor premiership-clinching win over Cronulla in the last round, scoring two tries.
He also mixed it up with serial Sharks pest Andrew Fifita as he and teammate Jordan McLean rubbed Fifita's head after he dropped the ball in the final minute.
Too good: Melbourne Storm's Cheyse Blair dives in to score.Credit: Getty Images
Storm coach Craig Bellamy said there was no place for such behaviour and he would be speaking to both players.
Blair admitted he acted in the spur of the moment but added Fifita, who has done the same thing to players in the past, had it coming.
"Craig said something in the media about it and said he didn't want me to go looking for that sort of stuff," Blair said this week.
"It was just spur of the moment, showing him [Fifita] a bit of his own medicine as he has been doing it in past weeks.
"In saying that there are no hard feelings, it's just something that happened in the moment."
This moment is a rich one in Blair's young career as the Storm recently re-signed him for the next two seasons.
But he almost didn't play in the Sharks' game after losing his place in the side just three rounds before the finals.
Blair didn't drop his head and after excelling in the Storm's "honest, straight up" culture he knew he would still have a chance to compete with Ryan Morgan for one centre position.
"I didn't look at it like [my season is over] but it's always in the back of your mind," Blair said.
"I still came in and trained hard, I still prepared like I do every week to try and get that spot back and I'm glad I did."
Bellamy said he had dropped Blair after the Storm's loss to Canberra but hadn't given up on the player.
"It wasn't easy leaving Ryan out, he always does a solid job for you," Bellamy said after the Sharks' game.
"Cheyse was unlucky after the Canberra game, I thought there was some instances in that game where he could have done a little better so that's why we left him out.
"I had a gut feeling we should put Cheyse back in tonight and that worked out OK for us, hopefully Cheyse can play another 80 minutes like that in the qualifying final and for however long we are in it.
"He is a big guy, a strong guy and if he just keeps his mind on the job for 80 minutes he is hard to handle."
The Sharks' game was the biggest in Blair's young career but Saturday night's qualifying final against North Queensland Cowboys at AAMI Park and perhaps games later in the finals will soon take its place.
There are still tickets available for the Storm's clash with the Cowboys at AAMI Park on Saturday night at 7.55pm.