Melbourne Storm facts for kids
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| Club information | |||
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| Full name | Melbourne Storm | ||
| Nickname(s) | Storm | ||
| Website | melbournestorm.com.au | ||
| Colours | Primary Purple Navy Secondary White Gold |
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| Founded | 23 June 1997 | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) |
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| CEO | Justin Rodski | ||
| Coach | Craig Bellamy | ||
| Captain | Harry Grant | ||
| Competition | National Rugby League | ||
| 2024 season | 1st (Runners-Up) | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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| Records | |||
| Premierships | 4* (1999, |
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| Runners-up | 5 (2006, 2008, 2016, 2018, 2024) | ||
| Minor Premierships | 6 (2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2024) | ||
| World Club Challenge | 3 (2000, 2013, 2018) | ||
| Wooden spoons | 1 (2010) | ||
| Most capped | 430 - Cameron Smith | ||
| Highest points scorer | 2786 - Cameron Smith | ||
The Melbourne Storm is a professional rugby league club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They play in the top-tier competition, the National Rugby League (NRL). The team plays its home games at AAMI Park. Their jerseys are purple and navy blue, with gold and white details.
The Storm was the first fully professional rugby league team in Victoria. They started playing in 1997 during a time when two rival leagues, the ARL and Super League, were competing. After the Super League ended, the Storm joined the new, united NRL competition.
Since they began, the Storm have won four major championships called premierships. These wins were in 1999, 2012, 2017, and 2020. They also played in several other Grand Finals. The club won the 2007 and 2009 Grand Finals, but these titles were later taken away because the club broke some rules about how much money they could spend on players' salaries.
The club also had a team in the NRL's Under-20s competition, called the Melbourne Thunderbolts, until 2017. They also have a netball team, the Sunshine Coast Lightning, which plays in the Suncorp Super Netball league since 2017.
Contents
History of the Melbourne Storm
How the Club Started (1997–1999)
Rugby league became very popular in Melbourne in the mid-1990s. Because of this, the Australian Rugby League (ARL) wanted to create a Melbourne team by 1998. However, the "Super League war" changed these plans.
In 1997, Super League boss John Ribot pushed for a Melbourne-based club for his competition. Chris Johns became the club's CEO. In September 1997, Chris Anderson was announced as the first coach. Super League then named the new team the Melbourne Storm. A local teenager, Cameron Duncan, came up with the name "Storm" in a competition.
The club signed players mainly from other Super League teams that were closing. These players included Rodney Howe, Robbie Kearns, Matt Geyer, Paul Bell, Robbie Ross, Glenn Lazarus, Brett Kimmorley, and Scott Hill. When the Super League and ARL joined together for the 1998 season, the Melbourne Storm became part of the new National Rugby League (NRL).
In their very first game, the Storm beat the Illawarra Steelers. Glenn Lazarus was their first captain. The Storm surprised everyone by winning their first four games. They made it to the finals in their first year but lost to the Brisbane Broncos.
In 1999, the Storm won eight of their first eleven games. They finished third on the ladder and made the finals again. They were beaten badly by St. George Illawarra in the quarter-final. However, after winning two close games, Melbourne faced St. George Illawarra again in the Grand Final. The Storm made an amazing comeback to win 20–18, securing their first premiership title!
Changes and Challenges (2000–2006)
The Storm's performance slowed down after their first premiership win. They lost their first four games of the 2000 season. They still made the finals but were knocked out by Newcastle.
Between 2001 and 2002, the team struggled more. Coach Chris Anderson left in 2001 and was replaced by Mark Murray. The club missed the finals in both 2001 and 2002. Murray was then replaced as coach.
The Craig Bellamy Era Begins
In 2003, Craig Bellamy became the new coach. He had been an assistant coach at the Brisbane Broncos. Stephen Kearney became the new captain. Bellamy's strict coaching quickly helped the Storm improve.
From 2003 to 2005, Melbourne consistently made the finals. However, they lost in the semi-finals and couldn't reach the Grand Final. During this time, young stars like Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, and Cooper Cronk joined the team.
In 2006, captain Robbie Kearns retired. Young halfback Cooper Cronk took over his position. The Storm also started using a rotating captain policy, with Cameron Smith being one of the captains for the first time. The 2006 season was excellent for Melbourne. They finished at the top of the ladder for the first time, losing only four games. They were favorites to win the 2006 NRL Grand Final but lost to the Brisbane Broncos.
Grand Final Success and Difficult Times (2007–2010)
In 2007, the Storm finished first on the ladder for the second year in a row. They won their finals games easily and reached the 2007 NRL Grand Final against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. They won the Grand Final 34–8, with Greg Inglis being named the best player.
In 2008, the Storm finished first again. They made it to the Grand Final but lost badly to Manly, 40–0. Several Storm players won awards that year, including Billy Slater who won the international Golden Boot award.
In 2009, Melbourne finished fourth. They won their finals games and reached their fourth Grand Final in a row. They beat the Parramatta Eels 23–16 to win another premiership. Billy Slater won the Clive Churchill Medal again. The Storm were even named the NRL Team of the Decade for the 2000s.
Salary Cap Issues
In 2010, the club faced a big challenge. On April 22, 2010, the club admitted that it had broken the NRL's rules about how much money they could spend on player salaries. The NRL said the club had spent too much money over five years.
Because of this, the NRL took away the club's 2007 and 2009 premierships. They also took away three minor premierships from 2006-2008. The club was fined a lot of money and lost all their points for the 2010 season. This meant they automatically finished in last place, even though they won enough games to make the finals.
Despite these issues, the Storm had something to celebrate in 2010. Their new home ground, AAMI Park, opened in May.
Rebuilding and More Wins (2011–2017)
After the salary cap issues, the club had to let go of some players and rebuild. They did this very well. Over the next two years, the Storm returned to being a top team.
In 2011, the club won what was considered their first official Minor Premiership. They also won a club record twelve games in a row. They almost made the Grand Final but lost in the preliminary final. That year, Billy Slater won the Dally M Medal, and Craig Bellamy and Cameron Smith also won major awards.
In 2012, the Storm started very strong with nine wins in a row. They finished the regular season in second place. They won their finals games and went on to win their second official Premiership. They beat the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 14–4 in the 2012 NRL Grand Final.
World Champions and Milestones
The Storm started 2013 by traveling to England. They beat the Leeds Rhinos to become World Champions. Back in Australia, they continued their winning streak, setting a new club record of 15 wins in a row.
In 2013, the Storm announced that News Limited, who had owned the club since 1997, had sold it to a new group of businessmen. On June 9, 2013, Captain Cameron Smith played his 250th game for the club. The Storm finished third in 2013 but lost in the finals, missing the preliminary finals for the first time in a while.
The 2014 season saw many important moments. Both Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk played their 250th games. Coach Craig Bellamy reached 300 games as coach. The Storm also started a new partnership with the Sunshine Coast Falcons to help develop young players.
In 2015, the Storm started well. In July, Dave Donaghy became the new CEO. In August, the Storm announced they would create an Academy on the Sunshine Coast to train young talent.
The 2016 season was also good. The Storm got their 300th NRL win. Craig Bellamy coached his 350th NRL game. The club also announced they would have a netball team, the Sunshine Coast Lightning, starting in 2017. This showed the Storm wanted to be more than just a rugby league club.
At the end of the 2016 NRL season, Melbourne finished first, winning their second official Minor Premiership. They made it to the 2016 NRL Grand Final but lost a very close game to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
2017 was another great year for the Storm, their 20th season. After losing the Grand Final in 2016, they came back even stronger. They dominated the 2017 NRL season, finishing first and earning their third official minor premiership. Melbourne won 20 games and lost only four. Cameron Smith broke many records that year, including playing the most NRL games ever and scoring his 2000th career point. The Storm won their finals games and reached their second Grand Final in a row. They easily beat the North Queensland Cowboys 34–6 in the 2017 NRL Grand Final to win their third official Premiership. Billy Slater won his second Clive Churchill Medal.
Recent Success (2018–2022)
After winning the premiership in 2017, the Storm hosted the 2018 World Club Challenge at AAMI Park in February. They beat the Leeds Rhinos again to win the title. 2018 was also the club's 20th anniversary. The Storm played well throughout the year and made it to the Grand Final again, but lost to the Sydney Roosters.
In 2019, the Storm finished first on the ladder, winning the Minor Premiership. However, they lost in the preliminary final to the Roosters. Club captain Cameron Smith reached many big milestones in 2019. He captained his 300th game, became the game's highest point scorer, and played his 400th NRL game. He was the first NRL player to do so.
The 2020 season was unusual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Storm had to move to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland to finish their season. Melbourne finished second on the ladder. They then beat the Penrith Panthers in the 2020 NRL Grand Final to win their fourth official premiership. This showed they were one of the most successful clubs in the modern NRL era.
In 2021, long-time captain Cameron Smith retired after playing 430 games. Jesse Bromwich and Dale Finucane became co-captains. The team had a few early struggles without Smith. However, from round four, they started a winning streak that lasted until Round 23, winning 19 games in a row. This was a huge achievement, especially because they had to move to Queensland again due to COVID-19. This winning run helped them win the Minor Premiership. However, they lost the preliminary final to Penrith and missed the Grand Final. The club also broke several scoring records that season.
In 2022, Melbourne started strong. But they then lost three games in a row for the first time since 2015. They finished the 2022 season in fifth place, their lowest finish since 2014. They were knocked out of the finals by Canberra.
Club Identity
Team Name
The club first thought about names like Melbourne Mavericks. But Lachlan Murdoch suggested a different name because Mavericks sounded too American. Other ideas included Trams and Flying Foxes. Eventually, CEO Chris Johns and Executive Director John Ribot chose a name related to lightning and power. After a competition, the name "Melbourne Storm" was chosen by teenager Cameron Duncan.
Team Colours
The Storm wanted to use the colours of their state, Victoria (navy blue with a white 'V'). But a consultant suggested adding purple and gold to make their merchandise more appealing. So, the official colours of the Storm are navy blue and purple (main colours), with white and yellow (minor colours).
All four colours were in the club's logo until yellow was removed in 2018. The home jersey designs have changed over the years. Gold was removed between 2005 and 2009, with silver being used instead. From 2010 to 2012, gold returned, and purple became the main colour. New designs have been introduced since then, with the "V" shape on the jersey changing or disappearing at times.
From 1998 to 2001, Melbourne was the only club to show player names on the back of their jerseys. This helped new fans identify the players. In 2001, they got their first main sponsor, Adecco. The sponsor's logo was on the front, and player names stayed on the back until the end of 2001. Since 2002, the Storm has shown sponsor logos on the back instead of player names.
Club Logo
The club's first logo, "Storm Man" riding over storm clouds and throwing lightning, was used until the end of 2017. For their 10th Anniversary in 2007, an informal logo was made for merchandise.
For their 20th Anniversary in 2018, the Storm introduced a new shield-shaped logo. It featured the Storm Man above the words "Melbourne Storm 20 Years." After the anniversary, the club updated the logo again. The current logo is based on the 20-year logo but without the shield. It has bolder "Melbourne Storm" text, and the colour yellow has been removed. There is also an all-white version of this logo used on the home jersey.
- Melbourne Storm – Logos
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1998–2017
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2007
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2018
Club Songs
The Melbourne Storm has several club songs.
- The main song, "We Are the Storm," is played after every home victory.
- The AC/DC song "Thunderstruck" is played when the team enters the stadium at every home game.
- After each victory, the players sing "We are the mighty Melbourne Storm" in the dressing rooms. This song uses the tune of the US Marines' Hymn.
Team Rivalries
St. George Illawarra Dragons
The rivalry between St. George Illawarra and Melbourne was strongest after the 1999 NRL Grand Final. Melbourne won that game narrowly with a late penalty. The next year, a player from St. George Illawarra said Melbourne wasn't a "worthy premier." Melbourne responded by winning 70–10 against them.
Later that season, St. George Illawarra beat Melbourne 50–4. In 2006, Melbourne beat St. George Illawarra in a preliminary final. In 2008, Melbourne won 26–0 in a game that had several fights. In 2009, Melbourne won a close game 17–16 in extra time. This rivalry has become less intense in recent years.
Brisbane Broncos
The rivalry with Brisbane is strong because the teams have played many important finals games. Melbourne has won most of these. The fact that Craig Bellamy, a former Brisbane assistant coach, moved to Melbourne also fueled this rivalry. Many Queensland Origin players have also played for both teams.
Melbourne captain Cameron Smith once said, "A lot of people talk about us and Manly, but I think all the boys for whatever reason would say we take more satisfaction out of beating the Broncos... we love playing them... there is always plenty of feeling and intensity in the games... it probably wouldn't feel like September if we weren't playing them at some stage."
Brisbane beat Melbourne 15–8 in the 2006 NRL Grand Final. Melbourne got revenge with a 40–0 win in the 2007 Qualifying Final. In the 2008 Semi-Final, Melbourne won dramatically 16–14 with a try in the last minute. In 2009, Melbourne beat Brisbane 40–10, sending them to their fourth Grand Final in a row. In 2017, Melbourne beat Brisbane 30–0 in the preliminary final. Since the 2006 Grand Final, Melbourne has only lost to Brisbane five times in 36 matches.
In 2023, Melbourne beat Brisbane 32–22 in the last round of the regular season. This stopped Brisbane from winning their first Minor Premiership since 2000. However, Brisbane then beat Melbourne 26–0 in the qualifying final the next week. This was Brisbane's first win against Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium since 2009.
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The rivalry with Manly-Warringah started between 2007 and 2012, when both clubs were often at the top of the league.
In the 2007 NRL Grand Final, Melbourne beat Manly 34–8. The next year, in the 2008 NRL Grand Final, Melbourne lost to Manly 40–0. In 2009, Melbourne ended Manly's chance at back-to-back titles by beating them 40–12 in the qualifying final.
In 2011, the rivalry grew even more with a famous game known as the "Battle of Brookvale." This game involved a huge fight on the field that continued even after players were sent off. The NRL CEO at the time, David Gallop, strongly criticized both clubs for their actions.
Matches between Manly and Melbourne at Brookvale Oval are still sometimes called the "Battle of Brookvale." In 2012, Melbourne again beat Manly 40–12 in the preliminary final, stopping them from winning back-to-back titles.
The rivalry quieted down for a decade. However, in the 2021 NRL Finals Series, the two clubs met again. Melbourne once more defeated Manly 40–12, which was the third time this score had happened between them.
New Zealand Warriors
This is a traditional rivalry because Melbourne has had many Kiwi (New Zealand) players over the years. Games between these two clubs are usually close and low-scoring. Melbourne has won more often than the Warriors.
The two teams played an annual ANZAC Day game every year from 2009 to 2014. It has been played on ANZAC Day every year since 2016 (except 2020). Both teams play for the Michael Moore Trophy.
The teams have met twice in the finals. In 2008, New Zealand caused a big upset by beating Melbourne 18–15 in the first week of the finals. In 2011, New Zealand again upset Melbourne in the preliminary final, stopping them from reaching the Grand Final.
Sydney Roosters
This rivalry started in the 2017 NRL season. The Sydney Roosters won a very close game in extra time. Seven weeks later, Melbourne won the return game. The rivalry grew when long-time Storm player Cooper Cronk moved to the Roosters in 2018.
In 2018, the clubs played one tight game, which Melbourne won 9–8 with a late field goal. The Roosters narrowly beat Melbourne for the minor premiership that year. The teams met in the 2018 NRL Grand Final, where the Sydney Roosters won. Cooper Cronk, playing injured, helped the Roosters win against his old team.
In 2019, the teams played two close games during the season. The Roosters won one in extra time, and Melbourne won the other. The Roosters then beat Melbourne in the preliminary final.
The 2020 season was affected by COVID-19. In one extraordinary game, the Roosters were leading, but Melbourne scored late to take the lead. The Roosters tied it with a penalty goal and then a field goal. With seconds left, Melbourne's Ryan Papenhuyzen kicked a field goal to tie it again, sending the game to extra time. Melbourne won with a penalty goal from Cameron Smith.
By the end of the 2021 NRL season, Melbourne had won all three of their recent games against the Roosters, including a big 46–0 win in 2021.
The rivalry became intense again in 2022 when the Roosters narrowly beat Melbourne in a very rough game with many penalties. The two sides met in the 2023 NRL finals. Melbourne won a controversial game 18-13 with a late try.
Penrith Panthers
This rivalry started in 2018 when the Panthers beat Storm, stopping the Storm from winning the minor premiership. Before this, the Panthers had a very poor record against the Storm.
However, since 2020, their rivalry has become much stronger. It began with the 2020 NRL Grand Final, where the Storm won 26–20, ending the Panthers' 17-game winning streak.
In 2021, they played twice. Penrith won a close game in Round 3. They met again in the preliminary finals, where Penrith won 10–6 before winning the Grand Final.
In 2023, they met again in the preliminary finals, with Penrith winning easily 38–4.
In 2024, the Storm won both games against the Panthers. The second win stopped the Panthers from winning the minor premiership.
Home Grounds and Fan Numbers
The Storm's current home ground is AAMI Park, which they have used since 2010. Before that, they played most of their home games at the now-demolished Olympic Park Stadium. Fans called it "The Graveyard" because the team won 77.2% of their games there. The Storm played their first home game at Olympic Park on April 3, 1998, winning 26–16. The crowd of 20,522 was the largest attendance for the club at Olympic Park.
The Melbourne Storm also helped set a Rugby League World record attendance of 107,999 people. This was at the 1999 NRL Grand final at Stadium Australia, where they won their first premiership. This record cannot be broken now because the stadium's capacity has been reduced.
The team stayed at Olympic Park until 2000. They then moved to the larger Docklands Stadium because their average home crowds were growing. However, Docklands Stadium was mainly for AFL games, and the team's performance declined, so crowd numbers dropped. The team moved back to Olympic Park in 2002. Docklands Stadium was still used for home finals until 2010. A record home final attendance of 33,427 was set there in 2007.
From 2002, crowd numbers went down. By 2004, the Storm had their lowest average crowd of 8,886 per home game. But then the Storm started signing exciting new players, and crowds steadily grew. By 2010, the average crowd was 14,670. The Storm played their last game at Olympic Park in August 2009.
Their new home, AAMI Park, was delayed. So, the first three home games of 2010 were played at Etihad Stadium. Since then, almost all Storm home games have been at AAMI Park.
After winning the 2012 premiership, crowd numbers kept rising. The club's highest regular season attendance at AAMI Park was 28,716 on ANZAC Day in 2014. Average crowds continued to increase, reaching a record of 18,375 by the end of the 2017 season. The club's highest official "home" attendance was 52,347 in 2016. This was during a special doubleheader game in Brisbane.
For most of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the Storm played their home games at Sunshine Coast Stadium in Queensland. This was because of strict COVID-19 rules in Victoria.
Team Achievements and Records
As of the end of the 2024 NRL season, the Storm have won four NRL Premierships (1999, 2012, 2017, and 2020). They have also won six Minor Premierships (2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2024). Two other premierships (2007 and 2009) and three minor premierships (2006, 2007, 2008) were taken away because of salary cap rule breaches. The Storm's current winning percentage of 67.14% is the best in the league.
The player with the most games for the Storm is Cameron Smith, with 430 NRL appearances. This is also the current league record, and he is the only NRL player to reach 400 games. Smith is also the league's highest point scorer with 2786 career points. Fullback Billy Slater has scored the most tries for the club, with 190 tries.
Melbourne Storm players have won the Dally M medal six times: Smith (2006, 2017), Slater (2011), Cooper Cronk (2013, 2016), and Jahrome Hughes (2024). The Storm have also had five Golden Boot award winners, more than any other club.
The Storm's record for most consecutive wins is 19 matches, achieved in 2021. This matches the league record set in 1975. The club's highest score is 70 points, which they have done twice. Their largest winning margin is 64 points, also achieved twice.
Players
Current Squad
First Team Ever (1998)
This was the first Melbourne Storm team to play in Round 1 of the 1998 NRL season.
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Head coach
Updated: 23 July 2020 |
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Team of the Decade (2007)
For their 10-year celebration in 2007, the Melbourne Storm announced their "Team of the Decade." This team of 17 players was chosen by former assistant coach Greg Brentnall, founding Executive Director John Ribot, and board member Frank Stanton. A journalist also helped choose the team.
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Head coach
Updated: 9 August 2014 |
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Team of the First 20 Years (2018)
For their 20-year celebration in 2018, the Melbourne Storm announced their "Team of the First 20 Years." This 17-player team was chosen by a panel including the Football Director, CEO, founding Executive Director, former assistant coach, a journalist, and current coach Craig Bellamy.
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Head coach
Updated: 6 March 2018 |
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Representative Players
Fan Base
The Storm has built a strong and loyal fan base over the years. Their number of supporters grew from almost 500,000 in 2004 to nearly 800,000 in 2009. This made them the fourth most popular NRL team. The club's fan group, the "Graveyard Crew," makes a special banner for the team to run through before each game.
By 2019, the club had a record 25,208 season ticket holders. This record was broken in 2021 with over 27,000 members. In July 2022, the Storm reached 37,237 members, which is the highest number of members ever recorded by an NRL club.
Famous Supporters
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Feeder Clubs
In 1998, the Storm started working with the Queensland Cup team, the Norths Devils. This club helped train players for the Storm's main team. This partnership was very successful. Many players who played for the Storm in the 2006 NRL Grand Final had played for the Devils before. In 2005, the Storm also worked with the North Sydney Bears in the New South Wales Cup.
Melbourne later ended its partnerships with the Bears (2006) and Devils (2007). They then worked with the Central Coast Storm in the New South Wales Cup for two seasons. In 2010, the Storm tried to have their own team in the NSW Cup, but it wasn't successful.
In 2011, the Storm went back to working with Queensland Cup teams. They partnered with the Easts Tigers (now Brisbane Tigers). In 2014, Melbourne started a second partnership with the Sunshine Coast Falcons, also from the Queensland Cup. The Storm further committed to the Sunshine Coast area in 2015. They announced that their Under 20s team would be based there from 2016.
History of Feeder Clubs
- Norths Devils – (Queensland Cup) 1998–2007
- North Sydney Bears – (New South Wales Cup) 2005–2006, 2024–current
- Central Coast Storm – (New South Wales Cup) 2008–2009
- Melbourne Storm – (New South Wales Cup) 2010
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks – (New South Wales Cup) 2011–2014
- Brisbane Tigers – (Queensland Cup) 2011–current
- Sunshine Coast Falcons – (Queensland Cup) 2015–current
See also
In Spanish: Melbourne Storm para niños
- National Rugby League
- Rugby league in Victoria
- Victorian Rugby League
- National Netball League
- Sunshine Coast Lightning
