As is tradition each time Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors meet, Tuesday night’s ANZAC Day clash will carry added importance with the much-coveted Michael Moore Trophy up for grabs.
Awarded to the winning team, the trophy honours Storm’s inaugural Football Manager, Michael Moore, who tragically passed away in Auckland on the night of 2000 season’s opening round clash.
The trophy, presented by Michael’s family post-match shares how significant the honour has been for the Moore family.
Described by those who worked with Michael as the heart and soul of the Club in the early days, his uniting approach to creating a team is still regarded as a foundational pillar of Storm’s modern operations.
23 years since the former manager’s passing, staff and players that never met Michael are still told the stories of his contributions, fostering the commitment to uphold his legacy.
“Most people at the Club now never met Mike, but they will always come and talk to you about him or really appreciate being able to play for the trophy. I think that's a huge thing that that story has continued,” Mick's wife Tracey explains.
I feel very lucky that we have that opportunity and that the kids, in particular, get to see that and have for pretty much their whole life
Tracey Moore
The purple contingent have held the trophy throughout the 2022 season following their 70-10 and 24-12 wins over the New Zealand side in Rounds 7 and 20 and will be keen to retain it for another year, particularly as the Club celebrates its 25th anniversary.
First presented in Round 1 of 2000, Storm have gone on to win the trophy 29 times, the Warriors 12, alongside two ties resulting in joint ownership.
The trophy will again be presented after Tuesday’s game to the winning team and Captain out on the field.
