NRL 2021: Melbourne Storm are moving in on Queensland for extended stay

The NRL wants to introduce a new Queensland team in 2023 but the Sunshine State already has a fourth team ... of sorts ... and they’re looking to make plenty of noise over the next two weeks.

Melbourne Storm Fans at Sunshine Coast Stadium to cheer on their team ahead of this weekends NRL Grand Final against Penrith. Photo Lachie Millard

The Storm are becoming Queensland’s unofficial fourth team with Melbourne to spend the next fortnight strengthening ties in the Sunshine State.

The reigning NRL premiers will arrive in Queensland on Friday for a two-week camp they hope will set up their tilt for back-to-back titles.

The Storm spent four months at Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast last year after being forced to flee Melbourne during the second-wave of the COVID outbreak in Victoria.

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Fans flocked to Sunshine Coast Stadium to cheer on the Storm on their title run last year.

The disruption didn’t cause them too many issues as Melbourne went on to claim a remarkable grand final win against Penrith.

Some of Queensland’s greatest-ever NRL products have represented the Storm in the likes of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk.

And the Victorian club has made no secret of their desire to have strong ties to rugby league-mad Queensland, even securing local sponsors during their time on the Sunshine Coast.

With the NRL looking to introduce a fourth Queensland club in Brisbane from 2023, the Storm have hatched plans to remain relevant in the state that has produced so many Melbourne stars.

“Queensland has always been important to Melbourne Storm and we are always looking for ways to further strengthen our connection in the Sunshine State,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said.

“Our relationship was enhanced last year during COVID when the team spent four months at Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast, which not only helped us win the premiership, but also secure record membership in Queensland and a number of new corporate partners.

Storm used Sunshine Coast Stadium as their home ground last year.

“We’ll be back on the Sunshine Coast for a fortnight from Friday and I know the boys are looking forward to getting some quality training work done, as well as meeting up with our members and fans.”

Despite rugby league still sitting well behind Australian Rules for popularity in Victoria, the Storm insist they will never leave Melbourne.

But the club has a strong supporter base in Queensland and wants to ensure that remains with the possibility of a new Brisbane team looming.

If the Redcliffe Dolphins’ NRL bid is successful, it has been suggested they could look to make the Sunshine Coast part of their catchment.

One of the Storm’s feeder teams is the Sunshine Coast Falcons and the club is also aligned with the Sunshine Coast Lightning netball franchise.

The Storm will face the Dragons at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday before matches against the Raiders (Canberra) and Broncos (Suncorp) in a 10-day stretch heading into the State of Origin period.

The Storm are again looking one of the teams to beat.

Football manager Frank Ponissi said the Storm would never abandon Melbourne but it was the ideal opportunity for a Queensland mid-season camp.

“We will always be a Melbourne and Victorian team, that will never change,” he said.

“We are Victoria’s team but the club has always had a lot of Queenslanders. We want to put something back into the area and have a close relationship.

“It worked for so many purposes last year. It gave us a home away from home.

“We were keen to go to an area we had an affiliation with. It was an obvious place to go with the Falcons and Lightning.

“We’ve got three games in a 10-day period and two of those games are at Suncorp. It’s a no-brainer to be based up there. It serves a lot of purposes.

“It’s the best way to prepare for those three games in a short period and we can also continue our close relationship with the area.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Melbourne Storm are moving in on Queensland for extended stay