After being in limbo at the start of the season, Jack Murchie now has a new long-term home locked down, even though he’s yet to see it.
The big back rower was given a three-game NRL appetiser with Canberra over the 2018 and 2019 seasons but wasn’t in the first-grade picture in the opening two rounds of the 2020 campaign.
Instead he found himself on Canterbury Cup duty once again helping feeder club the Mounties to a 44-30 win over the Sea Eagles in the only round played in the competition before it was suspended.
That game was played on March 15.
By May 21 Murchie was in new colours, joining the Vodafone Warriors at their Terrigal base as they arrived there from their quarantine stint in Tamworth.
And nine days later he became Vodafone Warrior #244 when he made his debut for his new club in the 18-0 win over St George Illawarra at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford.
Since then he has not only gone on to appear in each of the Vodafone Warriors’ seven matches in the revived season but he has also savoured his first NRL win and made his first start in a first-grade match (starting in each of the last three games).
All of which has seen Murchie having his contract extended to the end of 2022 without even entering the club's doors at Mount Smart Stadium, let alone getting his bearings around Auckland.
“With some hard training and performances the club has rewarded me with another two years,” he said.
“I'm really stoked to get more time with the club and I can't wait to get over to Auckland to experience it all.”
He agrees with interim head coach Todd Payten’s assessment that the club is well-placed.
“There definitely got the makings of a really good side,” said Murchie.
“There are just a few areas we've got to improve on. We have a lot of talent and skill across the park and hopefully that will all come together.”
Murchie now boasts a total on 10 NRL appearances.
