The stars of Melbourne Storm will run with Raptors, bond with Bears and tutor some Tigers as part of Storm in Your Club at local rugby league clubs across the Melbourne metropolitan region next week.
In conjunction with NRL Victoria, Storm’s NRL squad members will be visiting 16 clubs on April 19 to promote the growth of rugby league and the benefits of playing the game.
After running through some league skills and drills, plus a Q&A session, each host club will present their Storm players with a 2022 club jersey to wear at a special Storm training session later in the year.
Two Victorians who have progressed to Storm’s squad, Dean Ieremia and Sua Fa’alogo, will head back to their junior clubs for Storm in Your Club this year.
Ieremia, last year’s Storm Rookie of the Year, will be joined by Jordan Grant at Sunbury Tigers and Fa’alogo will have Clive Churchill Medal winner Ryan Papenhuyzen for company at Northern Thunder.
Storm captain Jesse Bromwich, who will be visiting his neighbourhood club the Waverley Panthers with his brother Kenny, said the squad was looking forward to heading back to the local clubs.
“We’re very proud to be Melbourne’s team and the boys are all keen to get across the city’s north, south, east and west for Storm in Your Club,” Bromwich said.
“It’s a great chance for us to connect with the team at NRL Victoria and the volunteers who help to run each of the clubs.
"It’s been a pretty tough time for them in the past couple of years, but their 2022 season is up and running which is great news.
“Each of these clubs are doing fantastic work in building rugby league’s grassroots base and we’ll be recognising this with Storm in Your Club again next week.”
NRL Victoria General Manager Brent Silva said: “The partnership between Storm, NRL Victoria and our local rugby league continues to grow with some really positive steps taken in the past 12 months.
“We are very fortunate to have Storm throwing so much support to local grassroots football.
“Club-based participation in rugby league in Victoria is bouncing back after the COVID-19 period
“The fact that Melbourne Storm players take time out of their schedule in the middle of the season personally visit our local Melbourne clubs demonstrates their wish to see the game grow at all levels in Victoria.”
As part of their support of community rugby league clubs, Storm is providing every player, referee and volunteer who registers through My Sideline with a free 2022 membership.
Participating clubs and Storm players:
Altona Roosters - Felise Kaufusi and Justin Olam
Casey Warriors – Reimis Smith and Jayden Nikorima
Doveton Steelers – Brandon Smith and Jack Howarth
Eastern Raptors – Nick Meaney and Trent Loiero
Frankston Raiders – Tyran Wishart and Alec MacDonald
Hume Eagles – Harry Grant and Josh King
Mernda Dragons – Xavier Coates and Cole Geyer
North West Wolves – Cameron Munster and Cooper Johns
Northern Thunder – Ryan Papenhuyzen and Sua Fa’alogo
Pakenham Eels – Bronson Garlick and Jonah Pezet
South Eastern Titans – Tui Kamikamica and Will Warbrick
Sunbury Tigers – Dean Ieremia and Jordan Grant
Sunshine Cowboys – Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Marion Seve
Truganina Rabbitohs – Chris Lewis and Tom Eisenhuth
Waverley Panthers – Jesse Bromwich and Kenny Bromwich
Werribee Bears – Jahrome Hughes and Tepai Moeroa
