Melbourne Storm legend Billy Slater hit the waves with current day star Harry Grant to kick off the club’s 2022 season campaign, ‘Ride the Storm’, at Urbnsurf today.
The season-long campaign is an invitation to be part of Storm’s Purple Army and to join the ride in what will be a very special season for the club’s members and fans.
After two years spent largely on the road in Queensland due to COVID-19 restrictions, Storm will be reconnecting with its Victorian members and supporters who have only seen their team play at home a handful of times in 2020 and 2021.
Ride The Storm starts with a bang - back-to-back pre-season trial games in Victoria over the next two weekends.
Storm’s long-awaited return to AAMI Park will be on Thursday Night Football in round two – against the South Sydney Rabbitohs – on March 17.
Storm CEO Justin Rodski said the Ride the Storm campaign would showcase the grit, attitude, and passion Storm's NRL squad and its supporters are renowned for.
“Today’s launch with Billy and Harry showing off their surfing skills starts our official countdown to round one of the 2022 NRL season,” he said.
“We have some ambitious goals on and off the field this year and are keen for everyone who loves Storm to join the ride with us in what is sure to be a memorable year.
“On the field, we have some exciting new faces who will wear the famous purple jersey joining a squad, under the guidance of Craig Bellamy, focused on making another serious challenge for the premiership.
“Off the field, as well as securing new corporate partners and extending existing ones, we are aiming to achieve a club record of 40,000 members – a figure which would be unmatched in the NRL.
“We have already had just over 26,000 people sign on so we are quickly closing in on last year’s record of 28,420 which shows just how keen our fans are to Ride The Storm with us in 2022.”
Storm’s opening NRL pre-season trial is this Saturday at Casey Fields in Cranbourne in the Unite for Tonga match against the NZ Warriors (4pm kickoff).
It will be followed by the club’s first ever game in Ballarat, against the Newcastle Knights, on Sunday, February 27 (5.35pm).
Tickets go on sale via Ticketek this Friday for Storm’s first four NRL home games – South Sydney (round two), Parramatta (round three), Canterbury (round four) and Cronulla (round six).