Melbourne Storm to host first ever triple header at AAMI Park

Melbourne Storm will host a historic triple-header this weekend, featuring the club’s first-ever female footy match at AAMI Park.

Melbourne Storm will host a historic triple-header this weekend, featuring the club’s first-ever female footy match on AAMI Park.

The Female Development Squad will take on the North Sydney Bears in a one-off clash on Sunday May 11, following the NRL match between the Storm and the Wests Tigers.

Before this, Storm’s under-21 side will play the Newcastle Knights’s under-21s to kick off the triple-header at 11.30am.

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“This has been a massive milestone for these girls. They are excited to finally put on the purple jerseys and play in front of their friends and their families at AAMI Park,” Storm female pathways manager Pauline Poloai said.

Alec MacDonald (NRL squad, position Lock) Harmony Taupau (Women’s squad), and Stanley Huen (U21) will all be suiting up to play in Melbourne Storm’s triple header this weekend. Picture: Sam Hayes, Melbourne Storm

Half back Sierra Te’o will lead the female team, describing the captaincy as ‘an amazing honour’.

“It’s a privilege to pull on the purple jersey, and to lead our team this weekend is an even greater honour,” Te’o said.

“Our entire team have put in a huge amount of work to get us to this point. I’m excited for our team to showcase our Melbourne Storm way”.

Storm laid the foundations for a future NRLW side by launching the program last year, putting the call out to athletes born in 2008 or 2009 from any code – including rugby league, union, netball, Aussie rules and soccer.

Poloai said it had since provided women and girls from across Victoria with insights on football, and also off-field development.

“We started off with 90 girls in this development program … and they’ve also had a chance to learn off the field via the Victorian Referee Association,” she said.

Daliz Feo, Sierra Te’o, Nikita-Jaye Faoa and Akeelah Coffin are in the mix for Melbourne Storm’s new female development squad. Picture: Tony Gough

The showcase of Storm’s new pathway for female players follows a record-setting week for the NRLW, in which the Women’s State of Origin drew a record crowd of more than 26,000 people to Suncorp Stadium in Queensland.

Storm’s senior men’s side will be looking for redemption on Sunday following a dramatic golden point loss to the Raiders.

Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen said coach Craig Bellamy was “disappointed with their discipline” after the game, but that the team were “looking forward to a chance to redeem themselves”.

“It’s a different season, sometimes you can get caught in the trap of comparing it to last season but you can’t take these things for granted,” Papenhuyzen told media Thursday.

“It’s a new season, its being officiated a little bit differently, let’s navigate our way through it and put our best footy at the forefront.”

Storm’s Sunday schedule at AAMI Park

Melbourne Storm U21 v Newcastle Knights U21 — 11:30am

Melbourne Storm v Wests Tigers – 2pm

Melbourne Storm Female Development v North Sydney Bears – 4pm

Find out more about how you can get tickets here.

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Originally published as Melbourne Storm to host first ever triple header at AAMI Park