Melbourne Storm wishes to thank feeder clubs Brisbane Tigers, Sunshine Coast Falcons and the North Sydney Bears for their partnerships which will end at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
The Tigers (since 2011), Falcons (2015) and Bears (2024) have provided Storm players with the opportunity to prepare and develop their game while not playing NRL in hope of stepping up to play first-grade football.
Players and staff from all three feeder clubs have also been given the opportunity to gain valuable experience over the years by spending time with Storm’s first-grade squad for training, pre-season camps and trial matches.
Brisbane Tigers’ long standing relationship with Storm began in 2011 with the likes of Cameron Munster, Christian Welch, Tim Glasby and Kenny Bromwich just some of the names who cut their teeth with the Tigers before moving onto carve out successful NRL careers in Melbourne. The Tigers have also regularly hosted Storm for the Club’s away trips to Brisbane, with Langlands Park serving as a training base for many matches in Queensland.
The Sunshine Coast Falcons, whose affiliation with Melbourne Storm began in 2015, provided the Club with a significant support over the years and is a region in which the Club has long had strong ties with, including playing home matches out of Sunshine Coast Stadium during the COVID-impacted 2020 and 2021 seasons. Nicho Hynes, Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Trent Loiero headline a long list of first-graders who spent time with the Falcons developing into NRL talent.
More recently, North Sydney Bears joined Storm’s feeder set up at the beginning of 2024, providing the Club with a strong presence in the NSW Cup competition preparing the likes of Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Bronson Garlick and Joe Chan for first-grade football.
Melbourne Storm Football Director Frank Ponissi thanked each of the feeder clubs for their relationships with the Club.
“We have had proud partnerships with Brisbane Easts and the Sunshine Coast Falcons for more than 10 years, alongside the Bears more recently which has helped produce some fantastic NRL players for Storm,” Ponissi said.
“Brisbane Tigers have helped produce some brilliant Storm players over the last 14 years and have always provided a strong system for our players to come into. Having several Storm listed players across the course of the season, including seven on Grand Final day contribute to the Tigers drought breaking premiership in 2023 is undoubtedly a highlight.
“The Falcons, under the guidance of Chris Flannery and Ashley Robinson have become an incredibly strong Club in the Queensland Cup and we thank them for their support over the past 10 years as well as their care and professionalism with our players each and every week.
“Our recent relationship with the Bears, while only young, has been incredibly beneficial for a number of players on our list, providing them with important exposure to top level competition in the NSW Cup.”
