This is the most uplifting story of the NRL’s Perth Nines.

Everyone in rugby league knows Pete Mulholland.

One of the best talent scouts in the business, “Skull” is also in the grand final for the best blokes.

A mentor to three generations of football players, Mulholland has been fighting a rare form of cancer for more than 18 months now.

Round 19

You won’t catch him complaining about it.

When Mulholland heard the NRL was headed back to his old Western Reds stomping ground of Perth, he immediately booked his flights.

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“The Raiders keep me alive, I wasn’t going to miss it,” Mulholland jokes.

“I caught up with my great mate Vern Reed the first night here.

“We decided I might leave the medication at home for the night and we’d have a night out.

“Sometimes a few drinks is a good anaesthetic.

“There’s no point sitting around feeling sorry for yourself.

“You’ve got to live your life. It’s just your lot.

“I‘ve learnt a lot from people in hospitals. If you’re morbid and your downcast and downtrodden, you might as well give up.

“The rugby league community is just magnificent.”

Western Reds coach Peter Mulholland (left) at club's offices in 1995. Picture: Ernie McLintock Source: News Corp Australia

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When it comes to skin the game, Mulholland has more than 30 years across nine clubs, three of which are no longer with us.

Go through them; Wests Magpies, Western Reds, North Sydney Bears, all gone.

Then he’s done time with Penrith, Canterbury-Bankstown, St George Illawarra, Newcastle and his latest home Canberra.

Peter Mulholland has worked with plenty of coaches including John Lang. Digital image by Colin Whelan, Action Photographics - Picture: SUPPLIED Source: News Limited

When the Green Machine powered into last year’s grand final, Mulholland was riding the wave as hard as the rest of the Raiders army of fans.

If they can go one better this year, the national capital will need a week off.

“It would mean everything. It would be great for Ricky and Don and the club and the town,” Mulholland said.

“What I’ve seen them put in has just been amazing. The turnaround in the town, the acceptance, it’s been brilliant.

“I sit in the back seat and just watch but what Ricky Stuart and Don Furner have done for the club has been amazing.”

Mulholland made his name as the head of rugby league at renowned high school nursery St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown.

Trent Robinson, Trent Barrett, Jason Taylor, Mick Potter, “Skull” oversaw the lot of them and more on their way to cracking the big time.

Mulholland is so close with Potter the two-time Dally M Medal winner will show up at his house unannounced.

Mick Potter (left) and Chris Ryan during their time with the Reds in the 1995 Winfield Cup. Source: News Corp Australia

“Mick Potter was one of my favourites. He thinks I’m dying or something, he just shows up announced and comes and does work around my house,” Mulholland said.

One of Mulholland’s most endearing qualities is the way he uses humour to see the lighter side of life.

“Warren McDonnell is the most heartless person I’ve ever met,” Mulholland said.

“I asked him for a coffee and he said: ‘Did you say a coffin?’

“Then he sent me a photo of a coffin last year.

“I thought it was going to be a player we needed to sign and next thing he tells me it’s a coffin he’s bought at Costco.”

In a career in rugby league spanning 32 years, Mulholland has unearthed some of the games best talent.

His secret?

“The ones I’m most proud of are the ones that nobody really thought would get through,” he said.

“It’s easy to pick a Greg Inglis, it’s easy to pick a Trent Barrett, but the ones that graft away and work hard are the ones I love.

“Josh Jackson, no one wanted him. Dale Finucane, no one wanted him.

“We got them to Canterbury and they’ve grown into outstanding players and brilliant young men.

“The Saifiti boys at Newcastle have done it the hard way. Lachlan Fitzgibbon up there is the same.

“They’re the ones you get the most enjoyment out of seeing succeed.

“They’re examples to other kids about this is what hard work can do.”

Peter Mulholland unearthed NSW Origin forward Dale Finucane. Source: AAP

Mulholland mounts a wonderful argument about the opportunity rugby league as a game gives thousands of kids.

“It worries me how kids are not faced with failure enough these days,” he said.

“They’ve got this soft landing that everybody wants them to have because everybody’s worried about how their mental state might be.

“I’m very conscious of that, don’t get me wrong.

“But there’s also a toughness that people have got to have.

“A lot of times in life there’ll be nobody with a mattress or a blanket underneath you to catch your fall.

“It is what it is. It’s how you bounce out of it.

“That’s the very important lesson rugby league gives.”