WARRINGTON'S Tyrone McCarthy will return home from Australia with two winners' medals.

The 26-year-old back-row forward, who left Warrington Wolves at the end of last season, scored the winning try as Northern Pride completed a memorable double at the ANZ Stadium on NRL Grand Final day.

McCarthy, who has signed for Hull Kingston Rovers next season, crashed over eight minutes from time to earn his side the title of inaugural NRL State Champions with a 32-28 victory over Penrith Panthers in a curtain-raiser to yesterday's NRL Grand Final between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canterbury Bulldogs.

Cairns-based Northern Pride, a feeder club to North Queenland Cowboys coached by former Wakefield and Widnes centre Jason Demetriou, qualified on the back of being crowned champions of Queensland's premier rugby league competition, the Intrust Super Cup, while Penrith had won the New South Wales Cup competition.

Ireland international McCarthy, who played in Wolves' 2009 and 2012 Challenge Cup successes, came through the ranks at Woolston Rovers.