Unlike many of his Newcastle Knights teammates, the Greg Marzhew did not spend his childhood watching the NRL, dreaming of playing on the biggest stage or developing the traditional rivalries that come with growing up immersed in rugby league.
Instead, the 29-year-old winger has had to create his own.
And with the Knights now just one win away from an NRL premiership, the winger has revealed the personal rivalries that have helped drive his remarkable 2026 campaign.
Marzhew is preparing for his first NRL Grand Final after making his debut with the Gold Coast Titans in 2021, with Sunday's decider against the Sydney Roosters set to be just his seventh finals appearance.
It is a remarkable rise for a player who did not even begin playing rugby league until he was 14.
The Knights' fairytale run has been even more remarkable given Marzhew's description of last season as a “poo year”, with Friday night's victory over the Penrith Panthers leaving him struggling to comprehend how far the club has come since last years wooden spoon.
“I was in shock. I couldn't believe it," he told Zero Tackle after the game.
“No way has it settled in. I'll spend the night here and then I'll go back to Newcastle tomorrow and I feel it will hit then. Our fans will let us know.
“It wasn't sinking in when we made prelims. I don't even think by the second game.”
Now, Marzhew has the chance to face one of the NRL's traditional powerhouses in the Grand Final.
But while the Roosters rivalry is deeply ingrained in the history of the competition, it is not something Marzhew grew up with.
“I didn't watch Rugby League," the winger admitted.
“It's a bit of a weird one, because all the boys here are like I have dreamt of this since I was little and I didn't play till I was 14.”
Instead of inheriting his rivalries, Marzhew has built them himself.
This season, three clubs in particular caught his attention, the Warriors, Panthers and Roosters.
The Knights have already crossed two off the list.
“The Roosters have always been the big dogs we want to knock down. It's funny because I had teams I wanted to play this year, Warriors, Roosters and Panthers and we lost to them,” he said, holding three fingers up.
“I wanted to tick them off, I wanted to get back,” Marzhew grinned, putting each finger down accounting for their victories against the Warriors and now Panthers.
Now, there is just one left.
And with the Roosters standing between the Knights and their first premiership since 2001, Marzhew has no intention of backing away from the challenge.
“Its a challenge we aren't shying away from and we have got something to prove," he told Zero Tackle.
That challenge will also see Marzhew come up against one of the competition's hottest players.
Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase has scored in every finals game this season and will provide a major threat on his edge.
But once again, Marzhew is not interested in allowing his opponent's reputation to change his approach.
“That's him. He's been doing that since the day he started playing rugby league. It doesn't really put me off you know," Marzhew shared.
"He's a freak, so all I have to do is just don't try and change my game, just you know try and stop him.
“I will do whatever I need to do to get our team going and that's it."
Marzhew may not have grown up dreaming of beating the Roosters.
He may not have inherited the same rugby league rivalries as his teammates.
But after creating his own targets throughout the season, there is now only one left to tick off.
