NRL Match Review & Judiciary Charges: 2025 Pre-Season Week 3
2 days ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
2025 Preview: Melbourne Storm
Andrew Ferguson looks at 2024 runners-up Melbourne ahead of the 2025 NRL season.
The 2024 Melbourne Storm were one of the most dominant runners-up of all time.
They finished the regular season 2 wins clear of defending Premiers Penrith, then crushed their finals opponents Cronulla 37-10 and the Roosters 48-18 only to go down in the Grand Final to Penrith 14-6.
They were just the seventh team since 1908 to claim the Minor Premiership, with a gap of at least 4 competition points between themselves and second place, that went on to finish the season as Runners-Up.
This is the sort of fact that keeps coach Craig Bellamy up at night, pacing the streets of Melbourne and devouring cups of coffee like a madman (probably).
The Storm have picked up impressive young Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu in a bid to bolster their attacking and defensive strike in the middle, which will also allow them to shift Nelson Asofa-Solomona wider in attack more often, which will also help to improve their attack.
Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen played 20 games last year, including all finals, something that injury has prevented him from doing for the 3 seasons prior. He will be playing with plenty of confidence in 2025, while rake Harry Grant stepped up another gear last year after becoming captain.
The Storm will be out for revenge!
Why They'll Win It
Balance - The Storm have got a perfectly balanced side in every possible way. Brilliant attack across the field, strike power everywhere, great spine, great try scoring ability on the wings, stingy defence, good depth. There's no excuses for this side.
Why They Won't
Penrith, probably.
Melbourne have won just 5 of their last 13 games against Penrith, dating back to 2020. Penrith have proven to be the only team capable of denying the Storm a Premiership over the last 4 years.
The only other possible factor will be injuries to their spine, especially halves or hooker, as their depth in those roles are vastly less experienced.
2025 fixture list
| Rnd | Day | Date | Opposition | Venue | |
| 1 | Sun 4:05pm | Mar-09 | H | Parramatta | AAMI |
| 2 | [bye] | ||||
| 3 | Thu 8:00pm | 20 | H | Penrith | AAMI |
| 4 | Sat 3:00pm | 29 | A | St Geo Illa | Netstrata |
| 5 | Sun 4:05pm | Apr-06 | A | Manly | 4 Pines |
| 6 | Sun 2:00pm | 13 | H | Warriors | AAMI |
| 7 | Fri 8:00pm | 18 | A | Dolphins | Suncorp |
| 8 | Fri 8:10pm | 25 | H | Souths | AAMI |
| 9 | Sun 6:25pm | May-04 | H* | Canberra | Suncorp |
| 10 | Sun 2:00pm | 11 | H | Wests Tigers | AAMI |
| 11 | Sat 7:35pm | 17 | A | Cronulla | Sharks |
| 12 | [bye] | ||||
| 13 | Sat 3:00pm | 31 | A | Gold Coast | Cbus Super |
| 14 | Fri 6:00pm | Jun-06 | H | North Qld | AAMI |
| 15 | [bye] | ||||
| 16 | Sat 7:35pm | 21 | A | Souths | Accor |
| 17 | Sun 2:00pm | 29 | H | Cronulla | AAMI |
| 18 | Sat 7:35pm | Jul-05 | A | North Qld | QLD C. Bank |
| 19 | Sat 3:00pm | 12 | A | Newcastle | McD. Jones |
| 20 | Sat 7:35pm | 19 | H | Manly | AAMI |
| 21 | Thu 7:50pm | 24 | A | Sydney | Allianz |
| 22 | Thu 7:50pm | 31 | A | Parramatta | CommBank |
| 23 | Thu 7:50pm | Aug-07 | H | Brisbane | AAMI |
| 24 | Thu 7:50pm | 14 | A | Penrith | CommBank |
| 25 | Fri 8:00pm | 22 | H | Canterbury | AAMI |
| 26 | Fri 8:00pm | 29 | H | Sydney | AAMI |
| 27 | Thu 7:50pm | Sep-04 | A | Brisbane | Suncorp |
Key Players
Hooker and captain Harry Grant is the most vital of their players. Much like Cameron Smith was previously, coach Craig Bellamy has a huge reliance on his dummy half getting his forwards on the front foot in every set, feeding good ball and opportunities to his halves while also being creative and smart enough to know when to run the play himself.
Halfback Jahrome Hughes has been consistently brilliant for several years now and his Dally M medal win last year proves that his form is definitely not going backwards. Will Warbrick has proven to be a try scoring phenomenon and he will be targeted by the Storm attack to continue that trend again in 2025.
Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen are brilliant scheming ball players and strong line-runners close to the tryline, both with crafty short kicking games too.
Rookie to watch
Lazarus Vaalepu. The 25 year-old giant burst onto the scene at the tail end of the Storm season last year. Looking like he was cut out of the same massive slab of rock that teammate Nelson Asofa-Solomona was cut out of, Vaalepu will likely feature heavily as an impact player off the bench this year.
Player movement
IN: Stefano Utoikamanu (Wests Tigers), Moses Leo (NZ Rugby Sevens)
TOP 30: Alec MacDonald, Ativalu Lisati, Bronson Garlick, Cameron Munster, Dean Ieremia, Eliesa Katoa, Grant Anderson, Harry Grant, Jack Howarth, Jahrome Hughes, Joe Chan, Jonah Pezet, Josh King, Lazarus Vaalepu, Marion Seve, Moses Leo, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Nick Meaney, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Shawn Blore, Stefano Utoikamanu, Sualauvi Fa'alogo, Trent Loiero, Tui Kamikamica, Tyran Wishart, William Warbrick, Xavier Coates
OUT: Reimis Smith (Catalans), Christian Welch, Young Tonumaipea, Chris Lewis (retired), Tepai Moeroa (unsigned)
DEVELOPMENT: Angus Hinchey, Gabriel Satrick, Keegan Russell-Smith, Stanley Huen
Best 17
1 - Ryan Papenhuyzen
2 - Xavier Coates
3 - Nick Meaney
4 - Tyran Wishart
5 - Will Warbrick
6 - Cameron Munster
7 - Jahrome Hughes
8 - Stefano Utoikamanu
9 - Harry Grant
10 - Christian Welch
11 - Shawn Blore
12 - Eliesa Katoa
13 - Josh King
14 - Tui Kamikamica
15 - Lazarus Vaalepu
16 - Sualauvi Fa'alogo
17 - Nelson Asofa-Solomona