NRL finals 2021: Sydney, Newcastle, northern beaches, central coast players in Melbourne Storm
They are from Blacktown, Penrith, Auburn, the Hills, Matraville, northern beaches, the central and south coast, Hunter and Newcastle - meet our contribution to Melbourne Storm’s success.
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They came through the NSW rugby league system and local footy clubs across the state who have been part of the Melbourne Storm juggernaut in recent times.
Teachers, veterans, big names and rising stars who have been given a big opportunity at Storm – and run with it.
Some will crack the team this weekend. Others have been part of the Storm squad and some are a big part of Storm’s plans for success in the future.
Melbourne Storm tackle the Penrith Panthers in Saturday’s second preliminary final in Queensland with Manly and Souths playing on Friday night.
Meet the men from NSW who have been helping Melbourne storm the NRL.
JOSH ADDO-CARR
A Blacktown product from Sydney’s west, the 26-year-old moved to the Melbourne Storm from the Wests Tigers and will head back to Sydney to link up with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2022 after a five-year stint with the “southerners’.
Known as the Foxx after his great grand father Wally Fox, Addo-Carr made his NRL debut with the Wests Tigers and played his junior footy with the Doonside JRLC and the Earlwood Saints.
He is the fastest man in the game and has been pivotal to the Storm’s success in recent years.
DALE FINUCANE
A proud Bega boy who used to play with Jillaroo Kezie Apps when they were kids on the south coast.
Finucane, the captain and lock, is now 30-year-old and made his debut in the NRL with the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs against South Sydney way back in 2012.
Finucane came to Storm from the Bulldogs and played his junior footy with the Bega Roosters. Finucane is also an accomplished musician.
REIMIS SMITH
This former Matraville High School student is 24 and goes by the nickname Ram.
He made his debut in the NRL with the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs back in 2016 and played under 20s with the Parramatta Eels.
The winger is on a two-year contract with Storm and this season represented the Maori All-Stars team.
He played his junior foot with the Mascot Jets and for South Sydney in Harrold Matthews.
He is also the nephew of boxer and former NRL player Anthony Mundine.
COOPER JOHNS
Halfback Cooper Johns is just 22 but this Newcastle born, northern beaches raised player has been with Melbourne Storm for his entire NRL career.
Johns, the son of NRL star Matty and nephew of Immortal Andrew, making his debut back in August 2020.
Johns played his junior footy with the Narraweena Hawks, attended St Augustine’s and eventually hooked into the Manly Sea Eagle before being picked up by Storm.
This young playmaker has made five appearances this year and scored a try and will be with Storm next season.
GEORGE JENNINGS
Another Blacktown boy. The 28-year-old goes by the nickname Trigga.
He made his NRL debut for the Penrith Panthers and has since also played with the Parramatta Eels and New Zealand Warriors.
He switched to Melbourne to start a two-year contract and is one of three Jennings brothers to play NRL.
ISAAC LUMELUME
Another Western Sydney player who made waves at Storm this season.
The 23-year-old was born in Auburn and played his junior footy with the Berala Bears.
He switched from Cronulla to Storm midway through 2019 and has a history of playing junior footy with NSW, including in the under 18s and under 20s teams.
NICHO HYNES
The Storm five-eighth is 25 and hails from Gosford on the NSW Central Coast.
He started his footy at age five with the Umina Bunnies before moving to the Woy Woy Roosters.
A stint at the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Intrust Super Cup caught the eye of Storm scouts.
He will join the Cronulla Sharks in 2022.
RYAN PAPENHUYZEN
The man with the best known mullet in NRL and the fullback for storm has made a massive impact this season.
Just 23 he hails from the Hills district and played his junior football with the Dundas Shamrocks.
The Kellyville product attended Oakhill College and played his junior footy for Balmain in the SG Ball and Harrold Matts before playing under 20s footy with the Wests Tigers and Sunshine Coast Falcons.
TOM EISENHUTH
This 100kg centre is 29 and was born in the Blue Mountains and went to school at Springwood.
He played his junior footy with the Lower Mountain Eagles before linking with the Panthers.
Others teams he has played for include the Windsor Wolves and St Marys Saints.
He made his debut for the Penrith Panthers against the Warriors back in 2012 and is a qualified schoolteacher who signed with Storm in 2018.
AARON BOOTH
Hooker Aaron Booth is 25, hails from Sydney but made his NRL debut with the Melbourne Storm against the St George Illawarra Dragons in September last year.
He played his junior footy with the Mullumbimby Giants linking with South Sydney and the North Sydney Bears in the under 20s.
He then played with the Mackay Cutters and Easts Tigers before signing with Storm in 2019 and making his NRL debut in 2020.
He will play with the Titans next year.
AARON PENE
Is a prop for Storm and aged 25. He will join the New Zealand Warriors program in 2022.
He grew up in Auburn, played his junior footy with the Berala Bears and Chester Hill Hornets before linking with the Bulldogs, Parramatta and Penrith.
He made his NRL debut for Storm in round 20 last season against St George.
CHRIS LEWIS
Second rower Chris Lewis is 29 and was born in Tingha, NSW.
He played his junior football with the Ashford Roosters and Illawarra Steelers and is also a qualified schoolteacher specialising in history.
He also played for the Shellharbour Sharks, Thirroul Butchers and Helensburg Tigers and Sunshine Coast Falcons before debuting for Storm in 2020.
JORDAN GRANT
The big prop is 27 and another Storm player hailing from Sydney’s west.
Born in Penrith he played his junior footy for the St Clair Comets and Penrith Panthers
where he played under 20s.
He has also played for Wests Tigers in their NSW Cup team and Serbia in the World Cup.
He made his NRL debut for Melbourne Storm in round 18 this year.
MAX KING
Lock Max King is 24, was born in Maitland and comes from top rugby league stock with his father and grand father playing.
He played his junior footy with the West Maitland Wallaroos and played Harold Matthews with the North Sydney Bears and SG Ball with the Knights.
He made his NRL debut for the Gold Coast Titans against the Parramatta Eels back in 2017.
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