NRL 2022: Melbourne Storm season preview, roster analysis, predicted finish, round 1 best 17
Of all the issues Storm have had a deal with over the past few months - and there’s been quite a few - getting their playmaker back to his brilliant best would have to be the most important.
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Melbourne haven’t finished worse than second for the past six seasons and that brilliant record has every chance of being maintained in 2022. But the goalposts have been altered slightly.
Gone are a number of familiar faces - Dale Finucane, Josh Addo-Carr and Nicho Hynes chief among them - and question marks hang over the likes of Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith.
Their recruitment again looks first class with Xavier Coates, Nick Meaney and William Warbrick all promising much. And, of course, any team with a spine of Papenhuyzen, Munster, Hughes and Grant will prove hard to beat.
Nick Smart takes a deep dive into what to expect from Craig Bellamy’s men in 2022.
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FINISHES THE PAST FIVE YEARS
2021: 1st (Minor premiers)
2020: 2nd (Premiers)
2019: 1st (Minor premiers)
2018: 2nd (Grand finalists)
2017: 1st (Premiers, minor premiers)
2022 ODDS
Premiership: $5.50
Top four: $1.65
Top 8: $1.10
Most losses: $126
2022 SQUAD
Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Xavier Coates, Tom Eisenhuth, Harry Grant, Jordan Grant, Jack Howarth, Jahrome Hughes, Dean Ieremia, George Jennings, Cooper Johns, Tui Kamikamica, Felise Kaufusi, Josh King, Chris Lewis, Trent Loiero, Nick Meaney, Tepai Moeroa, Cameron Munster, Jayden Nikorima, Justin Olam, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jonah Pezet, Brandon Smith, Reimis Smith, William Warbrick, Christian Welch, Tyran Wishart, Bronson Garlick (development player), Cole Geyer (development player).
INS: Xavier Coates (Brisbane), Nick Meaney (Bulldogs), Josh King (Newcastle), Jayden Nikorima (Redcliffe), William Warbrick (rugby union), Bronson Garlick (Newtown Jets), Cole Geyer (Currumbin Eagles).
OUTS: Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs), Dale Finucane, Nicho Hynes (Cronulla), Aaron Pene (Warriors), Brenko Lee (Broncos), Aaron Booth (Gold Coast), Ryley Jacks (QRL), Isaac Lumelume (Bulldogs), Daniel Atkinson, Judda Turahui, Tyson Smoothy (released).
SQUAD STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
The strength is their spine. Their attack blew opposition sides off the park almost weekly in 2021, largely off the back of arguably the best spine in the game in Papenhuyzen, Munster, Hughes and Grant. The squad’s weakness is more of a question – just how well can they cover the loss of their big departures of Finucane, Addo-Carr and Hynes?
PLAYERS IN 2021 RICH LIST: Six
6. Cameron Munster $1 million
50. Jahrome Hughes $750,000
55. Nelson Asofa-Solomona $675,000
56. Jesse Bromwich $660,000
66. Felise Kaufusi $640,000
91. Christian Welch $425,000
COACH STATUS AND SAFETY RATING
Safe as houses. The bigger question is how long will Craig Bellamy stay as head coach? He will coach Storm in 2022 and then will have the flexibility to reassess his position and either coach on or transition into an advisory role as part of his contract until 2026. Storm will want him to coach on in 2023, but the dramas of this off-season may have taken a toll on the super coach. The will-he-or-won’t he in 2023 will no doubt be a story next season. Has coached Storm since 2003.
WHAT THEY NEED TO TWEAK
Their on-field leadership. They didn’t miss the great Cameron Smith in 2021 until they did. Storm had a remarkable season, but it was clear during its preliminary final loss to Penrith that it badly missed Smith’s calm and steadying hand when things were awry. The loss of loved co-captain Dale Finucane won’t help in this area, so Storm will need stronger on-field leadership to avoid a repeat of the preliminary final heartbreak. Captain Jesse Bromwich is a strong figure but tends to lead more with his actions. Forward Christian Welch has to be a leading contender if Storm wants to continue a co-captaincy arrangement in 2022.
FREE AGENCY WRAP
Some good and some bad. Storm has lost three of its best 17 for 2022, following the departure of Josh Addo-Carr, Nicho Hynes and Finucane. That will sting, although the signing of exciting Brisbane winger Xavier Coates – who is already impressing Storm bosses since arriving at the club – should help offset the loss of the Foxx to the Bulldogs. Storm has also added outside back Nick Meaney from the Dogs and Knights middle forward Josh King. Storm has also been able to hold on to stars Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jahrome Hughes and Welch on multi-year deals. The club suffered a pre-Christmas blow when hooker Brandon Smith – who has been in the news for various reasons these past few months – agreed to join the Roosters at the end of 2022. Back-rower Felise Kaufusi is also off to the Dolphins at the end of next year.
WHICH PLAYER CAN THEY REINVENT?William Warbrick
The Kiwi Olympic silver medallist has switched codes from rugby to join Storm in 2022. The former All Blacks sevens sensation doesn’t have too much of a rugby league pedigree, although he did play the game in school. He faces a steep learning curve at Storm, but the club is confident the 194cm, 100kg beast can fire in the NRL. If any club can reinvent Warbrick and turn him into an NRL star, it’ll be Storm. Expect to see him lining up on the wing, fighting with the likes of Coates, Meaney, George Jennings and Dean Ieremia for a starting wing spot.
WILL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT/UPGRADED KIDS MAKE AN IMPACT?
Storm quietly completed the signing of little-known forward Bronson Garlick earlier this year. He captained the Newtown Jets in the NSW Cup in 2021, and the mature-age recruit could very well be another trademark Storm smoky. He’ll be on a development contract in 2022. Also on a development contract will be hooker Cole Geyer, the son of club great Matt Geyer. He’ll join Storm after playing for the Currumbin Eagles on the Gold Coast. Still only young, Geyer is a long-term prospect for Melbourne.
WHO TAKES THE NEXT STEP?Cooper Johns
After seven first-grade games in two years, Johns should and needs to be primed for a big 2022. If he plays his cards right, he should get the opportunity to start the season in the halves. With star Cameron Munster suspended for Round 1, the door is wide open for Johns to get a chance to show his wares in the opening round in front of plenty of eyeballs. It hasn’t been easy for Johns to make an imprint at the star-studded Storm. He’s a halfback stuck behind Munster and Jahrome Hughes, although the son of Newcastle great Matty Johns needs to make the most of his opportunities. With a bit of luck on his side, there’s no reason why Johns can’t develop into the Nicho Hynes of 2022. In his limited first-grade opportunities, he’s shown he has what it takes.
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR …Cameron Munster
It was going to be a big 2022 for Munster anyway, and then the off-season white powder scandal happened. Then it became even bigger, because he now has some serious faith to repay after coming very close to having his lucrative contract torn up by Storm bosses. For whatever reason, Munster had a mixed 2021 season. His best was great as always, but we didn’t see it nearly enough. The level of consistency we’d grown accustomed to was lacking at times. He did have some injury issues, although he’d be the first to admit he was below his best in 2021. After a stint in rehab, Munster has returned to Melbourne’s pre-season training in good shape.
WHERE WILL THEY FINISH IN 2022 — 2nd
That’s the million-dollar question for Storm – where to from here? From the highs of a record-equalling 19-game winning streak and the minor premiership last season to the lows of a dismal preliminary final display followed by the club’s most tumultuous off-season in recent memory. There was the white powder scandal, the standing down of forward Tui Kamikamica following police charges following an alleged incident involving a woman in Brisbane, and then Brandon Smith went on a podcast and revealed he wants to win a premiership with the Roosters, and spoke about a drinking culture at Melbourne. The club later issued a statement condemning Smith for those comments, while also announcing Smith will leave the club at the end of 2022. There’s also been the unneeded distraction of forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s vaccine hesitancy, which is still playing out. There’s been a lot for Storm to deal with, and Bellamy faces a big test to keep Storm a competition powerhouse in 2022. Some critics are already writing them off, but Storm still has the talent and desire to challenge. A second-place finish beckons.
CAPTAINCY CONTENDERS
Jesse Bromwich will remain as skipper, but will he want or need a co-captain? With Finucane’s departure, there is a vacancy there. Welch looms as the heir apparent in this area. Bromwich’s skipper, Kenny, would also be a contender. Munster would have been in the frame, but his off-season escapades means he won’t win the role anytime soon.
FOX SPORTS LAB’S AARON WALLACE SAYS …
2021 is the season that got away for Storm. They won a premiership record equalling 19 straight games, scored 40 points in a match a record 12 times and won a record 14 games by more than 20 points. As good as their attack was their defence was still exemplary. 2021 was Melbourne’s 17th consecutive regular season conceding less than 20 points per game – they have conceded more than 15 per game just once in the past six seasons.
Even with some key players like Dale Finucane, Nicho Hynes and Josh Addo-Carr departing, with Craig Bellamy still at the helm it’s hard to see anything but an eighth straight top four finish for Melbourne.
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