Storm star Christian Welch skips team photo, considers retirement

A perennial NRL powerhouse could be set to lose a star player ahead of the 2025 season after he suffered yet another head knock.

Melbourne Storm forward Christian Welch is reportedly weighing up retiring from the game after suffering yet another concussion.

The 30-year-old has a history of head knocks and suffered his latest during the Storm’s pre-season camp in Geelong.

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Welch has since been given time away from training to consider his future as medical retirement rumours swirl.

In the wake of his latest headknock the one-time State of Origin star was absent from the team photo taken last week.

Fox Sports’ James Hooper was the first to break the news of a potential medical retirement following the seventh concussion of his career.

Welch may be set to medically retire from the game. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Welch has played 163 NRL games since making his debut for the Melbourne Storm in 2015 and has a long history of horror injuries.

He has previously overcome an Achilles injury and suffered three torn ACL’s with back surgery now also a possibility.

The Storm prop‘s existing contract runs through until the end of the 2025 season with an option for 2026.

He is said to be around $600,000 a season.

The Storm star could be set to hang em up. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Christian Welch and partner Maddi Robinson. Picture: Jason Edwards

If Welch was to medically retire from the NRL part of his salary for this season would be exempt from the salary cap.

It would mean the Storm could free up around $400,000 for 2025, according to Hooper.

While the potential loss of Welch would hurt the Storm, the club recruiting Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu ahead of the season in a key addition to their line-up.

The Melbourne Storm’s 2025 NRL season gets underway against the Parramatta Eels on Sunday, March 9 at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

Originally published as Storm star Christian Welch skips team photo, considers retirement