One month after being named the 2025 Under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup Player of the Year and captaining the Melbourne Storm to premiership success, back-rower Preston Conn has landed his maiden NRL contract.
After a breakout season in which he played 17 matches, averaged 39 tackles per game at a 90 per cent efficiency rate, and contributed over 1,345 total tackles, Conn has been handed a two-year contract extension from the Storm.
Zero Tackle understands that he will be on a train-and-trial contract next season before being upgraded to the club's development list for the 2027 NRL season.
“He is consistent in everything he does for his team," Storm Under-21s Jersey Flegg coach Mark Russell said about Conn earlier in the year.
"He's proud to be a Melbourne Storm player and has been relentless in chasing the opportunity here in Melbourne.”
A West Newcastle junior, Conn will look to cement a regular spot in the club's inaugural NSW Cup team next year as he aims to continue winning and also improve his development as a player.
"It's unreal, I can't believe it, I seriously can't believe it," he told NSWRL Media after winning the Jersey Flegg Cup Grand Final against the Penrith Panthers.
"If you said at the start of the year during pre-season that we could win the comp I would have laughed and said, 'we couldn't do it.'
"We just found something this year and we're just so tight down there.
"You know Melbourne, they're a pinnacle club and to be now building up the pathways, I couldn't be any more thankful, they've done an amazing job for us."
