As part of a series profiling the expected Round 1 sides for all 17 NRL clubs in 2023, Melbourne are shaping up to have several new faces in their team.
Melbourne’s hopes of kicking off 2023 with a bang have been dealt a blow with scans confirming Justin Olam broke his forearm during the trial against the Roosters on Sunday.
The star centre will undergo surgery but is expected to be out for at least six weeks after suffering the injury at Geelong in the first hit-out of the year.
With fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen struggling to get back to full fitness and expected to miss the first six weeks of the season due to his fractured kneecap from last year, the Storm are again being stretched out wide.
Despite the early-season setbacks on the injury front and the departure of a bunch of established forwards, it would be foolish to predict the Storm are not going to be finals contenders yet again.
Craig Bellamy is sticking around for another premiership tilt and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he again decided at some point during the season to delay his oft-threatened retirement another year.
Melbourne secured a massive win in the off-season by convincing Cameron Munster to put pen to paper on a contract extension despite being thrown bucketloads of cash by the Dolphins to head back to Queensland.
CLICK HERE for a seven-day free trial for your favourite sport on KAYO
When the Storm open the season on March 2 away to Parramatta they will have a handful of players making their club debut but they will still field a potent side which could very well get them back into the top four after they slid to fifth and were bounced by Canberra in the first week of last season’s finals.
Tariq Sims. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Who’s new?
Bellamy has reinforced his pack with a few typically astute signings.
Warriors second-rower Eliesa Katoa was thought of a star in the making when he had a barnstorming rookie season a couple of years ago but was not given much of an opportunity last season and was surprisingly granted an early release to cross the Tasman.
Fellow forward Aaron Pene has returned to the Victorian capital after a season with the Warriors while Dragons veteran Tariq Sims could give the Storm a strike weapon on the edge if he can avoid injuries and the judiciary.
They have also recruited Joe Chan, whose father Alex played for the Storm. The 20-year-old forward has cut his teeth with a dozen games with Catalans in the Super League and, like Sims, can switch between the edge and middle.
Who’s gone?
There’s more than 800 NRL games that have walked out the door at AAMI Park following Felise Kaufusi, Jesse and Kenny Bromwich joining the Dolphins and fellow international Brandon Smith accepting a lucrative Roosters offer.
David Nofoaluma has returned to the Wests Tigers after his late-season loan stint while veteran utility Chris Lewis was not re-signed and back-up half Cooper Johns is now a Sea Eagle.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Key spots to unlock
The Storm’s backline will not be back to full strength for Round 1 with star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen (kneecap), centres Justin Olam (broken arm) and Marion Seve (knee), forward Tariq Sims (calf) and winger George Jennings (knee) unavailable.
Nick Meaney looks set to start off in the No.1 jersey while centre Reimis Smith (pectoral) will be back after missing most of last season.
In the forwards, the return of Christian Welch from a torn Achilles tendon offsets the loss of Jesse Bromwich at prop while Eliesa Katoa and are the likely candidates to replace the long-term second-row pairing of Felise Kaufusi and Kenny Bromwich.
Brandon Smith’s departure opens up a bench utility spot for Tyran Wishart to cover hooker and the backs after he had a promising start to his NRL career in 15 appearances.
Round 1 predicted team
1 Nick Meaney
2 Dean Ieremia
3 Reimis Smith
4 Grant Anderson
5 Xavier Coates
6 Cameron Munster
7 Jahrome Hughes
8 Christian Welch
9 Harry Grant
10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
11 Eliesa Katoa
12 Trent Loiero
13 Josh King
Interchange
14 Tyran Wishart
15 Tepai Moeroa
16 Aaron Pene
17 Tui Kamikamica
Other squad members: Ryan Papenhuyzen, Tariq Sims, Marion Seve, George Jennings, Justin Olam (injured), Jayden Nikorima, Joe Chan, Jonah Pezet, Jordan Grant, Jack Howarth, Tom Eisenhuth, Alec MacDonald, Will Warbrick.
chris
Guest
Yet they bought Sims. He’s 33 years old.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Neither of them are 80 min hookers. Both clubs will need a nine on the bench.
Cam
Roar Rookie
I would have hated to lose them 6 or 7 years ago, but the blokes who left are in the back-end of their career and to be honest, weren't all that effective last season. I don't mind the look of their new pack and it will be interesting to see if Bellamy can unlock Eliesa Katoa and Tariq Sims. No doubt the Storm will be better for the return of Ryan Papenhuyzen, Christian Welch and Reimis Smith this season.
Cam
Roar Rookie
Will Warbrick instead of Ieremia.
Davooo
Guest
And Smith won't have grant there to show the finesse and composure that he lacks. The cheese is a character, a ball of energy and a fan favorite, but ask yourself this.... if he was the better 80 minute hooker out of he and grant, don't you think storm would have prioritised his signing over grants? Grant looked good behind Smith for the same reason he will look good behind any solid or energetic pack. Because he's a hooker, not a middle forward battering ram.
Davooo
Guest
Righto mate :laughing: The way you're out death riding the storm sounds like a panthers fan who might just be feeling a little nervous that the 3peat is under threat. Considering that storm didn't field any of their regular spine, nor most of the rest of their first choice 13, they put on a solid display against a roosters side that fielded alot more of their regular players. As for those players you mentioned being permanent outs. Most storm fans would have paid for plane tickets out of melbourne for 3 out of 4 of them last year and are rather relived that they're out of the way and lining up elsewhere this year.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Tough to lose Olam before season proper. From the trials I did like the look of 19 year old Sualauvi Faalogo at fullback. Obviously still some rough edges but can see he is talented and has game breaking ability so should be an interesting prospect and a local product too which is good to see. I also liked how Will Warbrick played on the wing. Big body and made dents with his runs. Even though he made a few mistakes I thought overall might have done enough to partner Coates on the wing. 2 big atheletic wings might be good for the Storm. Welch and Reimis returns though not spectacular was enough to suggest they're ready to go 1st round. Still think they're in for a tough year and a tough start especially while combinations build with all the newbies.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
2022 not great, so expect 2023 to be a shambles.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Make it a Tuesday afternoon, naming the team, and tell the press Kaufusi, both Bromwich brothers, and B.Smirh are out. Ask yourself then how the team is looking. Then awaken to realise that the outs are permanent, doubly so, three of them are teaming up against you as Dolphins, and one scheming around your ruck as a Rooster. I would say as they slide down the ladder it will feel a lot like Titanic going down, and players like Munster will be outa there. Abandon ship.
chris
Guest
The Storm were beaten up in the backs last season. Lost a few to injuries. Couldn’t replace them , even by trying to buy mid year stand ins. So the backline after the starting line up is still questionable.
Brendon
Roar Rookie
Are experienced forwards really that great though? Of course it helps, but then aging legs play a big part too. No one can say 2022 was a great year for the Storm forward on the field outside of NAS.
Brendon
Roar Rookie
I agree on them missing Smith, thats a big loss on the field, but then its also offset by the fact that Smith is a loose cannon at the best of times. Felise and Jesse are well beyond their prime. There were multiple games last year I was begging for Jesse to be removed from the field, he just wasn't up to the standard of the team,and very similar for Felise. In fact when he was unfortunately rushed overseas, I think the Storm did better. Kenny, is a loss, but again, he is getting on in the years, he can only play top notch for so long.
Justin
Guest
He isn’t injury free right now. So there’s that hope gone. I can see him copping plenty of tackle’s around the knee that was injured, if he comes back. Or though a bit less, as he won’t be playing the Storm. :laughing:
Chris
Guest
Don’t see how it’s stronger ? Especially in the forwards. They’ve lost a massive amount of experience in the forwards & probably their best runner & effort player , Smith. They now lack a quality hooker to do the hard yards & hard work at the start of games. Grant isn’t as good when he has to do that work as well.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Melbourne are no lock on the 4. Its been a long , long time since I said that . (OK I was wrong in 22, just ) But with 3 ,million dollar plus spine players they are still a big show. Another year with Melbourne out early would be great for the game.
Rellum
Roar Guru
They will still be near the top
Cam
Roar Rookie
Eliesa Katoa was a revelation for NZ in his debut season, before the Warriors set about coaching anything worthwhile out of his game. He has only just turned 23 and at 6'3" and 110kg, he can potentially be a really good value for money edge forward. He ticks all the boxes as a Strom fixer-upper project, which they do pretty well.
Cam
Roar Rookie
It was really unusual when the Storm signed Jack Howarth to massive money before he'd done anything at the club, but they clearly they rated him as a long-term prospect. Unfortunately the bloke had Covid three times in 2022, but more worrying was a report of a poor training attitude. Bellamy and the Storm are notorious for being short on tolerance when it comes to this sort of thing, so he will either need to recalibrate or expect to see him released/traded.
Cam
Roar Rookie
Sims was close to NSW's best in the 2021 SOO series, which would suggest he can really play when suitably motivated. Bellamy would be a better chance than Hook to get the best out of the bloke.
Westie
Guest
Grant won’t have Smith to do the hard yakka for him & the hard runs . He looked far worse last year when Smith wasn’t there to do that for him. Wishart isn’t that good. So without Smith, that part of the spine isn’t as good. You can bet your bottom dollar that the Storm will be out looking to poach some other clubs best up & coming player to play hooker.