Season Review: Melbourne Storm

Predicted Finish: 5th

Actual Finish: 1st (Runners up)

Storm 2025 Player Movements

Melbourne’s 2016 saw them capture yet another Minor Premiership honour, and come oh so close to adding Grand Final triumph to their list of accomplishments.

Storm fans could be forgiven for starting celebrations early as the last attack on Grand Final day was building, as the Storm always find a way to win, even when all looks lost.

Although they were unable to find that final piece of magic, they can be supremely proud of their efforts in 2016.

It was a case of another season, another star uncovered, as Suliasi Vunivalu, who topped the NRL try-scoring charts despite only playing 18 games, was unearthed after a list of injuries saw him receive a late call up in round seven.

Best Player: Cooper Cronk

Cooper Cronk proved once again that age is purely a number as he collected the joint-Dally M winners medal as the best player across 2016.

As well as leading Queensland to another series victory, he was also the Storm’s main man with 23 try assists, 11 tries of his own and nine line-breaks.

His kicking game broke teams down with opposition forwards often charged with bringing the ball out of danger following a pinpoint Cronk kick.

Although he was well contained on Grand Final day, few found a way to keep the masterful number seven quiet at either club, Origin or international level.

Season Highlight: 26-6 win over the Sharks in round 26

The Storm wrapped up the 2016 Minor Premiership with a big win over the Sharks in front of a sell-out crowd at AAMI Park in the final round of the competition.

The story really couldn’t have been written any better, but on the night it was no fairy-tale for the Sharks, who were battered and denied a first minor premiership since 1999.

Melbourne took everything the visitors could throw at them yet barely looked worried on their way to lifting the shield in front of their own fans.

Chayse Blair, who was brought into the side very late, scored a double, with his centre partner Will Chambers also scoring.

The outside men were on fire that night for the Storm who secured yet another home final and continued their brilliant run.

Best Recruit: Josh Addo-Carr

The Storm lost a winger with plenty of speed and aggression when Marika Koriobete left the code, yet replaced him with yet another winger with plenty of speed and aggression in Josh Addo-Carr.

Craig Bellamy’s record of bringing the best out of young players is second to none, and I have no doubt that Addo-Carr will be another Storm success story.

There are fast wingers then there are players like Addo-Carr who can burn any player at any moment with their lightning feet.

He doesn’t have the experience, or size, of the man he is replacing, but either he or Curtis Scott are likely to be there in round one.

The Positives:

- Billy’s back: After missing almost all of 2016 through injury, the Storm, Maroons and Roos number one is back. By all accounts he is not all that far off and should be ready and firing come round one. His return means the ‘big three’ will be reunited. Considering they came within a play of Grand Final success without him, that could be scary.

- Experience: Sometimes a heartbreaking Grand Final loss can severely dent a team’s confidence if it does not contain the experience to deal with the situation. Not this Storm side. Cronk, Smith, Slater and Bellamy are the best in the business and if anyone can turn October 2nd’s result into a positive it is those in purple.

Season Grading: A

If the Grand Final had been another minute, of perhaps another tackle longer, the Storm may have been the ones once again in possession of the NRL title trophy.

Across 26 rounds they were the best side in the business even though they lacked the attacking highlights of the Raiders, or the winning streak of the Sharks.

This is a side that just goes about its business, all whilst being almost impossible to beat.

With Slater back in the side, despite the fact they have lost Kevin Proctor and Blake Green from the side from Grand Final day, they look just as dangerous heading into 2017.