Despite his role as ‘Mr. Fix It' amongst the Melbourne Storm's ranks, strike outside back Nick Meaney has revealed his internal struggles after being asked to play in multiple positions in recent years.
Meaney has mostly featured as a fullback across his 158-game NRL career, the seven-year veteran admits a recent positional switch has been a struggle to grow accustomed to.
"Obviously, last year was my first year at centre and I felt probably not the most comfortable out there," he told AAP.
He admitted the defensive requirements are far greater in the centres than as a fullback, a task that he initially wasn't up to.
"Coming from fullback, you don't make many tackles at the back, and I didn't really have that instinct there on the edge,” Meaney said.
"Going into this year, I really wanted to step up my game in that area and just be not a spot in the line and not an edge that teams want to attack against."
The reliable speedster admitted that playing as a centre in the 2024 Grand Final was no easy task, but assured Storm faithful his nerves are under control ahead of this weekend's clash against the Brisbane Broncos.
"Yeah, obviously last year was my first one, personally, and the nerves were up there the whole week, and it seems like a lot with all the media and with everything," he said.
"I feel a lot calmer this year and going into this week, and the closer we get, hopefully the nerves are still down and I'm feeling confident."
Meaney has made a name for himself as one of the better defensive outside backs in 2025, and has credited Dally M Centre of the Year Stephen Crichton as his muse.
"I just look at the best centres in the game and the best defensive centres like Stephen Crichton," the Storm star said.
"[I] watch film, and watch how other people do it as well, so it's definitely helped me."
He will have two of the best centres in the game in Kotoni Staggs and Gehamat Shibasaki to mirror in this weekend's Grand Final, the ultimate test for Meaney as he looks to cement his role as a defensive anchor.
