Melbourne Storm’s U21s have booked their place in the 2025 Jersey Flegg Grand Final after a commanding 38-10 victory over the Cronulla Sharks in Sunday’s Preliminary Final. The win capped off a historic season for the young Storm side, who were crowned Jersey Flegg Minor Premiers for the first time in the Club’s history.
The Grand Final will be played on Sunday 28 September at CommBank Stadium in Sydney, where Storm will take on either the Penrith Panthers or Cronulla Sharks.
This achievement marks a major milestone not just for Head Coach Mark Russell and his squad, but for the ongoing development of rugby league in Victoria.
Storm entered the Jersey Flegg Cup in 2023, taking over the NRL Victoria-run Thunderbolts program. Since becoming part of the Club’s official pathway system in 2022, the U21s have been based in Melbourne at Seabrook Reserve in Broadmeadows, forming a key part of Storm’s long-term junior development strategy.
In late 2023, the Club launched the Road to AAMI Park Pathways Program, aimed at providing local Victorian players with more opportunities to progress to elite levels and strengthening the future of rugby league in the state. The 2025 season is Storm’s second full season in the Jersey Flegg competition.
The 2025 Jersey Flegg features a strong mix of Storm Academy players from Victoria and rising talent from across the country, including the Sunshine Coast. A record 13 local Victorians featured in the Jersey Flegg squad throughout the 2025 campaign. Many of these players have progressed through Storm’s SG Ball (U19) and Harold Matthews (U17) teams. Notably, the entire 2025 Harold Matthews squad was made up of Victorian players, a reflection of the game’s growing strength in the state.
Storm’s SG Ball team, coached by former Storm player Matt Duffie, reached the second week of the 2025 U19 Finals. Of the 17 players who featured in the U19 Finals, nine were local Victorians. Three players who featured in Sunday’s Jersey Flegg Preliminary Final were promoted from Duffie’s SG Ball side, with another seven stepping up to the broader U21 squad.
The Jersey Flegg Cup, named after rugby league pioneer Harry “Jersey” Flegg, was originally founded in 1961 and revived by the NSWRL in 2018 following the closure of the National Youth Competition after 10 years. The competition returned to an U21 format in 2021 and runs parallel to the NSW Cup over a 26-week season. The 14-team competition features 11 NSW-based clubs, alongside Storm, New Zealand Warriors, and Fiji Silktails.
Storm Director of Football Frank Ponissi praised the efforts of Russell and the entire U21s program for their outstanding 2025 campaign.
“We’re incredibly proud of our Jersey Flegg squad, the players, coaches and staff, for reaching the 2025 Grand Final off the back of a terrific Minor Premiership season,” Ponissi said.
“Their 38-10 win over the Sharks was outstanding, and the whole Club is excited for the Grand Final in two weeks’ time. The success of this team is a powerful reflection of how far our pathways program has come in Victoria. Having 13 local Victorians in this year’s squad speaks volumes about the talent being developed here.
“With initiatives like the Sua Fa'alogo Cup showcasing Victoria’s best U16s talent, and the launch of our own reserve-grade side in the near future, the growth of junior rugby league in Victoria is very exciting.”
Storm’s Jersey Flegg team will aim to follow in the footsteps of the Club’s 2009 U20s side, which won the then National Youth Competition and produced future NRL stars including Matt Duffie, Justin O’Neill, Gareth Widdop, Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor and Jordan McLean.
The 2025 Jersey Flegg Grand Final will take place at CommBank Stadium on Sunday 28 September. Tickets are on sale here.
Image credit - Bryden Sharp Photography.
