Melbourne Storm back-rower Kenny Bromwich powers NRL heavyweights premiership tilt
Kenny Bromwich is one of the most improved players in the NRL - but you’ll be hard pressed to hear the Melbourne Storm stalwart talking about it.
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One of the most influential people at Melbourne Storm is also the quietest.
Kenny Bromwich deals in actions — not words — but the 28 year-old’s habit of being at the right place at the right time is not restricted to game day either.
The 183cm nugget has gone from reliable role player — Mr Fix It — to linchpin inside 25 rounds since moving from the bench to the back row this season.
But it is off the field where Bromwich is a valuable contributor also, helping to bridge the gap between the revered to the revelations.
See, for all of minor premier Storm’s dominance, it is also one of the youngest teams to take the field in the Craig Bellamy era.
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Bromwich is not the best or most talented, with all due respect, nor the toughest and most inspirational on the list.
Yet Bromwich is still among the first picked every week when Bellamy’s match committee sits down on Tuesday afternoons.
Why? Put simply, Bromwich makes people around him better.
“He brings an air of confidence to the players,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy replied when asked about Bromwich’s impact.
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“He’s not the loudest or out there sort of guy, he’s fairly quiet and deliberate with what he says, but when he says something the group listens.
“He sets a great example for that left side and had a really good influence on all those guys out there.
“He’s always been a really respected part of our group, without a doubt, but I think he’s gone to another level this year with his leadership and his contribution to the team.”
Bromwich has emerged as the constant in the otherwise electric and instinct-driven edge of Munster, Justin Olam and Josh Addo-Carr.
The unsung Kiwi international, who could play his 150th game in the grand final, is rated inside the top four at Storm in offloads (2nd), linebreak assists (3rd) and try assists (4th).
It starts off the field, though, as Collingwood premiership captain and Storm leadership mentor Nick Maxwell learned seeing Bromwich develop in the ‘Emerging Leaders’ program.
A core principle inside the Storm locker room is looking out for each other and Bromwich is among the best at the caper.
“I’m not sure what it is, he gets it, and you just see him going around doing his thing,” Maxwell told the Fuelled By Fire podcast recently of the understated Bromwich.
“He’ll go grab you and put his arm around you, ‘mate everything all right?’, then he’ll come to me and go mate have you checked in with (so and so) he’s acting a bit off.
“He’s just got this empathetic side to him that’s crucial because it’s important to have that balance, you need the big picture guys but you also needs those guys (that) go all right what’s going on around here and who can I help, and he’s a genius at that.”
Originally published as Melbourne Storm back-rower Kenny Bromwich powers NRL heavyweights premiership tilt