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The Melbourne Storm are a rugby league team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The club was created originally as an expansion club to play in the 1998 Super League season before the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and Super League competitions merged at the conclusion of their respective 1997 seasons to form the National Rugby League (NRL).
During the club's first year in 1998, they exceeded expectations by winning their first four games and finishing third on the ladder. They then advanced to the finals losing to the Brisbane Broncos one game away from the Grand Final.
The following season, the Storm made amends by going one better to capture the trophy defeating the newly formed St George Illawarra Dragons 20-18, becoming the quickest non-foundation club ever to win the premiership after being admitted to the competition.
Club facts
- Melbourne Storm is the first professional rugby league club based in Melbourne, where the predominant football code is Australian Rules football, and the people are generally perceived as indifferent towards other football codes.
- The bulk of the foundation players were largely made up of players from Perth Reds and Hunter Mariners, clubs made defunct as part of the ARL/Super League merger.
- ARL in 1995 gave the green light to set up a Melbourne-based rugby league team to start in the 1998 competition but the onset of the Super League war that year saw the plan shelved until Super League picked up the baton and set one up in 1997 to join their 1998 competition.
- Won the 1999 Grand Final after a controversial penalty try decision by referee Bill Harrigan when Storm winger Craig Smith was taken out in mid air while attempting to catch a high ball in the Dragons' in-goal.
- Following an infamous outburst by St George Illawarra Dragons five-eighth Anthony Mundine declaring Melbourne undeserved winners of the 1999 Grand Final, the Storm thoroughly ripped the Dragons apart in a 70-10 demolition at the MCG in round five in 2000.
- In the club's 100th game, they celebrated by defeating the hapless Wests Tigers 64-0 at Colonial Stadium on July 5, 2001.
- Marked their 200th game in the NRL with a rare defeat of the Bulldogs 33-6 at the Sydney Showground on July 2, 2005
- Only missed the finals while under coach Mark Murray
- On April 2 2005, the Melbourne Storm and the Melbourne Olympic Park Trust, administrators of the Olympic Park sports complex, renamed the Western and Eastern Grandstands of Olympic Park stadium the Glenn Lazarus and Tawera Nikau stands respectively, after the inaugural captain and vice captain of the club in a ceremony prior to the home game against the Brisbane Broncos.
Season 2006
As of round 19, Melbourne have won their past 7 games in a row (the most in the clubs history) making them leaders on the ladder by three games clear. They are also close to equalling Brisbane's record of game wins in a row at home. In a fine season they have also beaten the Parramatta Eels in round 14 after earlier in the week they claimed that there should not be a rugby league club based in Melbourne. In round 18 the biggest crowd in six years (15,479) saw Melbourne defeat the Brisbane Broncos 10-4. Many panelists on the NRL Footy Show picked Melbourne as the premiership favourites.
Historical information
- Home stadium: Colonial Stadium (2001), Olympic Park (1998-2000, 2002-current)
- Head coach: Craig Bellamy (2003-current) Mark "Muppet" Murray (mid 2001-2002), Chris Anderson (1998- mid 2001)
- Captain: rotating (2006) Robbie Kearns (2005) Steven Kearney (2003-2004) Rodney Howe (mid 2002) Robbie Kearns (2000 - mid 2002) Glen Lazarus (1998-1999)
- Uniform colors: Navy Blue, Purple, Gold and White
- Premiership Titles: 1 - 1999 (vs St George Illawarra Dragons)
- Premiership Runners-up: Nil
- Minor Premiership Titles: Nil
- World Club Championship Titles: 1 - 2000 (vs St. Helens)
- Feeder Clubs: Norths Devils (QRL) (1998-current), North Sydney Bears (NSWRL) (2005-current)
| Year | Finishing position² | Average home crowd |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 3rd | 12,717 |
| 1999 | 1st | 12,902 |
| 2000 | 6th | 13,756 |
| 2001 | 9th | 11,969 |
| 2002 | 10th | 9,088 |
| 2003 | 5th | 9,626 |
| 2004 | 6th | 8,886 |
| 2005 | 6th | 8,898 |
| 2006 | 9,536¹ |
Players
Current stars
- Matt Geyer (joined 1998)
- Scott Hill (joined 1998)
- Matt King (joined 2003)
- Billy Slater (joined 2003)
- Cameron Smith (joined 2003)
- Greg Inglis (joined 2005)
- Michael Crocker (joined 2006)
- Cooper Cronk (joined 2003)
Former stars
- Marcus Bai (joined Leeds Rhinos 2004)
- Russell Bawden (joined London Broncos 2002)
- Steven Bell (joined Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 2006)
- Rodney Howe (retired 2004)
- Paul Marquet (joined Newcastle Knights 2001)
- Robbie Kearns (retired 2005)
- Brett Kimmorley (joined Northern Eagles 2001)
- Glen Lazarus (retired 1999)
- Aaron Moule (joined Widnes Vikings 2003)
- Tawera Nikau (joined Warrington Wolves 2000)
- Matt Orford (joined Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 2006)
- Matt Rua (joined Canberra Raiders 2003)
- Robbie Ross (footballer) (retired 2004)
- Richard Swain (joined Brisbane Broncos 2003)
- Danny Williams (joined London Broncos 2005)
- Stephen Kearney (joined Hull FC 2005, re-joined Storm as assistant coach 2006)
Clive Churchill Medal Winners
Awarded to man of the match in the Grand Final- Brett Kimmorley 1999
Coaches
- Chris Anderson - 1998-2001
- Mark Murray - 2001-2002
- Craig Bellamy - 2003-current
2006 Squad
Scott Anderson James Aubusson Matthew Bartlett
Adam Blair Michael Crocker Cooper Cronk Ben Cross Garrett Crossman Ian Donnelly Jamie Feeney Nathan Friend Matt Geyer
Scott Hill Ryan Hoffman
Greg Inglis Dallas Johnson Antonio Kaufusi David Kidwell Matt King Dennis Scott Ryan Shortland Billy Slater Jeremy Smith Cameron Smith Sam Tagataese Steve Turner Glen Turner Chris Walker Jake Webster Brett White
Famous Fans
External links
National Rugby League | Australian rugby league clubs | Sporting clubs in Melbourne
"Melbourne Storm"