NRL 2022: Melbourne Storm appoint Christian Welch and Jesse Bromwich as co-captains

The Melbourne Storm have refreshed their leadership group for 2022 appointing Christian Welch as co-captain and promoting a PNG International.

Storm duo Christian Welch and Jesse Bromwich are ready for this weekends NRL Grand Final against Penrith. Photo Lachie Millard

We’re not done yet.

That is the warning from Melbourne Storm front-rower Jesse Bromwich, who has vowed to “leave it all on the field” in his final year at the NRL club.

Bromwich will skipper the Storm for the second consecutive season and will be joined by fellow front-rower Christian Welch, who replaces former co-captain Dale Finucane.

The New Zealand international, who will join the new Dolphins NRL franchise at the season’s end alongside brother Kenny and fellow teammate Felise Kaufusi, said it was a very difficult decision to leave Melbourne.

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Melbourne Storm have announced and Jesse Bromwich and Christian Welch as their co-captains for 2022. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Although, he baulked at any suggestion Storm’s long period of success was coming to an end.

“I owe the club a lot and I’ve been able to live out my dream and I’ve had some really good times at this club,” Bromwich said.

“But we’re not done yet and we’re looking forward to a very big year.

“It was really tough but I’m just looking at the positives, which is we still have a full season with these boys and I’m just trying to pass on as much knowledge as I can.

“I want to have a really big year because I think I owe it to the club to leave it all on the field this year.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said he held nothing against the departing players.

“We’ve lost some guys that were very important to our team in Josh (Addo-Carr), Dale and Nicho (Hynes), so that was pretty tough and we’re going to lose a few more and some experience in Jesse, Kenny, Felise and Brandon (Smith).

“At the end of the day we’re not worried about 2023, we’re just concerned about 2022.

“It’s professional sport and players look after themselves and I think that’s right because clubs look after themselves as well.

“If they don’t want the player they’ll very quickly move them on, so there’s no hard feelings at all from our club about the guys that are leaving.”

Justin Olam joins the Storm leadership group. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Welch, who has 117 Storm games, a premiership ring and six Queensland State of Origin appearances on his record, said he has honoured to be known as a Storm skipper.

When asked about his leadership style, Welch said:

“I’m never short of a word but I think it’s about setting standards and expectations of what it is to be a Storm player, and that’s not just on the field but away from the field and how we carry ourselves.

“It’s really important being in an AFL heartland that we really nail that, because the guys that started this club it was really tough work for them 20 plus years ago.

“We want to continue that tradition of how Melbourne Storm is held in Victoria and nationally.”

Joining the two captains in the 2022 leadership group are Kenny Bromwich, Jahrome Hughes and Kaufusi.

‘GRATEFUL’ SMITH WELCOMES CONTENTIOUS SUSPENSION CALL

Melbourne hooker Brandon Smith has expressed his gratitude at being cleared to play in the opening round of the premiership by NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo.

While Canberra coach Ricky Stuart let fly at the NRL on Monday night, Smith and the Storm were celebrating after Abdo ruled he could retrospectively serve his suspension through the All Stars game.

It means rather than sitting out the club’s round one game against the Wests Tigers, Smith will take his place as the Storm attempt to maintain their long streak of starting the year with a win.

Smith would have been a certain starter for the Maori All Stars but was sidelined after being filmed in a room with white powder over the off-season.

“It was certainly very tough to miss out on playing with my Maori brothers and not getting the chance to enjoy the All Stars week,” Smith said.

“I continue to take the steps I need to put last year’s events behind me, to improve myself and I’m grateful to have the chance to be part of round one of the competition next week.”

Brandon Smith has been cleared to play in Round 1.

The decision has been criticised by Canberra coach Ricky Stuart.

DISGRACED STORM STAR EAGER TO ‘REPAY FAITH’

Nick Smart

Melbourne forward Chris Lewis says he is grateful to be given the chance to make amends in 2022 after ‘hurting the reputation’ of the Storm during the off-season.

Storm stars Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith and Lewis were all suspended for round one after a video of them partying in a hotel with what appears to be a white substance on a table surfaced last September.

Lewis, who will play in Storm’s trial game against Newcastle in Ballarat on Sunday, said he was determined to “repay the faith” in 2022.

Chris Lewis is hoping to make amends for his off-field indiscretion.

“It was tough, obviously coming back in knowing your actions have hurt the reputation of the club,” Lewis said.

“I had a chat to some of the people in the football staff and they really felt let down by it, so it has been a tough pre-season.

“But there’s not much I can do in terms of trying to fix it, I’ve just honestly got to try and fix it with my effort.

“I feel like I’ve done as much as I can in the pre-season to get ready and hopefully that pays off in the season.

Munster during the white powder incident.

“If we can have a good season, hopefully that can repay some of the damage that was done to the club.”

Lewis said his relationship with coach Craig Bellamy remained strong despite a difficult conversation in the days following the scandal last year.

“Craig obviously had a chat to me about it and it wasn’t a pleasant one, but he knows that doesn’t define me as a person,” he said.

“He knows me above that one incident and knows that’s not what I’m about and there’s plenty more to me than that.

“And he’s happy to give me a chance to repay the faith in the club they showed me.”

Lewis played 20 games last season after making his debut as a 28-year-old the previous year.

Munster, Smith and Lewis all appeared on a Zoom call to apologise for their actions.

His goal is to cement a bench spot this season, admitting that breaking into the starting side may be a bridge too far.

“I don’t see myself going to that starting team, I think that’s a really good starting team the way they’re going to line up,” he said.

“But if I get a spot on that bench and do what I can to help the team win.”

Originally published as NRL 2022: Melbourne Storm appoint Christian Welch and Jesse Bromwich as co-captains