Tyran Wishart's revelation about father Rod as family heartache laid bare before NRL grand final
The Melbourne Storm utility has the chance to go one better than his famous father.
Sunday night's NRL grand final provides Storm utility Tyran Wishart a chance to go one better than his famous father and finally deliver the family a premiership that was denied in the cruellest of circumstances 25 years ago. Rod Wishart is a Steelers and Dragons legend, but suffered a heartbreaking near-miss in the 1999 grand final.
St George Illawarra had one hand on the premiership trophy until an infamous penalty try in the dying minutes handed the title to the Melbourne Storm. That was the last game of Rod's career, after 177 first-grade games, 22 State of Origins for NSW and 17 Test matches for Australia.
And while the Storm broke his heart on that fateful afternoon in 1999, he'll be cheering them on as they attempt to take down the Penrith Panthers juggernaut on Sunday night. Speaking ahead of the decider, Rod's son Tyran revealed his dad wasn't even in attendance when the Dragons broke through to win the premiership in 2010.
"Dad definitely wasn't at the 2010 grand final when the Dragons won it because we all watched it together, we were on a holiday, so I don't think he's been at one since," the 24-year-old said. "Footy-wise, he's good, he just keeps it simple and I think that's the sort of player he was - he just played to his strengths and that's what I try to do as well.
"He won't be bombarding me with advice, he understands that this club has put everything in place for us to do our best. The coaching staff here, obviously with Craig (Bellamy) at the top, they're unbelievable and us players who haven't been here before can lean on those who have and I think we'll want to make the most of that."
Wishart has become a key cog in the Melbourne Storm machine, filling in brilliantly at five-eighth when Cameron Munster was sidelined for two months earlier this season. He's since been relegated to the bench, but has made the dynamic utility role his own.
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Will Tyran Wishart eventually move back to the Dragons?
Dragons fans hate seeing Wishart thrive at the Storm, after Bellamy poached him out of St George Illawarra's junior system in 2021. But parents Rod and Gil still live in the Illawarra area, and it's hoped his ties to Wollongong will entice Tyran back to the Red V when he comes off contract.
With Ben Hunt coming to the end of his career, Wishart is viewed as the perfect long-term replacement by his junior club. He'll undoubtedly attract plenty of big-money offers from other Sydney clubs, but reckons Rod would support whatever choice he makes.
Wishart's mother Gil and his Wollongong-based partner would also no doubt like to see more of him. "I don't think he really would mind to be honest," said Wishart, with the family based in Gerringong just south of Wollongong. "I think he would probably like to have me around more and I definitely know mum would. But they do things right here (at the Storm), and that's why I love it here.
"I guess it was a pretty good year for me in terms of game time and I was able to get selected in the 17 each week which was a bit different to the previous two years where I was sort of in and out of first grade. I'm proud of that, probably more than actually that praise, to be honest."
with AAP
