Melbourne Storm CEO, Justin Rodski has shared an insight into the leadership decisions that led to the appointment of Harry Grant as Captain for the 2024 season.
Speaking to SEN Thursday morning, Rodski said Grant was a popular choice with players, coaches and fans, and would be supported by a leadership team that included vice-captains Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster.
“Harry’s a natural born leader and has worked his way through the system at Storm, and in the end the players voted, and he was a standout selection to be our captain,” Rodski told SEN Breakfast hosts Kane Cornes and Sam Edmund.
“No one works harder than him, no one leads by their actions better than him. I think while we have a lot of great leaders, including our leader from last two years in Christian Welch, in the end what Harry brings on and off the field, he was the right choice for now and into the future.”
Storm Coach, Craig Bellamy, and Rodski made the announcement of captain and vice-captains to all Storm staff, players and coaches earlier in the week.
Grant said at the time he was honoured to be given the opportunity to lead Storm.
“Welchy has done an incredible job over the last two seasons, and I know I can lean on him for advice and support along with Munster and Hughesy standing next to me,” Grant said.
We have some great players and natural leaders in the group and I can’t wait to get stuck into the season with them.
Harry Grant
Rodski also acknowledged the leadership of Welch in the last two seasons, as the Club transitioned through a period of significant change in the playing roster.
“He was offered the opportunity to be part of the leadership group but decided he'd rather focus on his footy and that's fair enough. That was absolutely his call,” Rodski said.
“He was disappointed that he wasn't going to be considered for the Captaincy this year and I can understand that. He's been an incredible leader for our club.
“He'll still be a huge impact across the Club, both on and off the field. Obviously, leadership is just a title when it comes to those things and he'll still play an important role for us.”
Six years after his first-grade debut, Welch was promoted to Captain in 2022 alongside veteran Jesse Bromwich. An unfortunate season-ending injury in Round 1 of that season saw Welch return in 2023 as the sole Captain of Storm, the first since legend Cameron Smith.
“We couldn't be luckier to have a guy like Christian as our Captain over the last couple of years and as always, coming out of a period where you had a guy like [Cameron Smith] as our captain for 15 seasons in a row, it was a transition period, no doubt about that,” Rodski added.
He's done an amazing job galvanising the club, bringing the commercial and the football areas closer together and again, a guy who really put his heart and soul into everything he does.
Justin Rodski CEO, Melbourne Storm
“He's one of the best people I've ever met in the rugby league...He’ll continue to play a really important role for us at the club, both on and off the field because he’s a quality human and a great Storm person.
“I've got no doubt he's there to support [Harry Grant] and Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster and the rest of the leadership group – he just won't have that title.”
In 2024, Grant will be supported by Vice-Captains Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster, alongside Ryan Papenhuyzen, Josh King and Tui Kamikamica in the broader leadership group. Former player and coaching assistant Jason Ryles will oversee the leadership group as the Club’s NRL Coaching Coordinator.
