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I think this is the best move for the club going forward, we have to look to youth over the next couple of years (apart from maybe two veterans in Cam and Coops). However in saying this, you are an absolute legend Hoffy in what you've done for this club and I hope when you retire you have some involvement in the club in any capacity whether it be coaching or being an ambassador like Robbie Kearns.

Pretty much owning the #12 jersey from 2005-10 and 2012-14, he became a real favourite of mine over the years. I remember his big breakout year in 2006 when he started to become a prolific tryscorer and a dominating force on the left edge. Even better was that after leaving due to the salary cap scandal at the end of 2010, he was able to come back in 2012 and win a premiership.

I hope you are able to play your guts out for the remainder of the year and you will always be a Melbourne Storm legend.

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Hoffy might be going to the worriors BUT HE WILL ALWAYS BE A STORM CHAMPION. I will NEVER BOO you while you are playing for the opposition Hoffy.
Good luck for your future Hoffy and THANKYOU for being such a great player and giving your all for STORM...

Hoffy...if you read this...or a family member/friend of yours reads this....I would like to say it has been a privilege to watch you play for Melbourne Storm. Week in...week out...giving your all and playing for the jersey like you life depended on it. Thank you !

You are a Storm Legend...and always will be. Set up your family well over the next 3 years for after your retirement...but come back quickly to Melbourne and become part of the Melbourne Storm family again real soon.

You are a CHAMPION ...

Sad that such a fantastic clubman has to finish elsewhere, thanks for the memories.

I forgot to mention that when he debuted for the Storm in 2003, I seriously didn't expect back then he would play close to 250 games (when he leaves us) for the club, especially playing 2003-04 for us mainly off the bench.

His 2012 season was phenomenal. Made it all the way to the Aussie team. Thanks for the memories Hoff. Good luck at the warriors. A true Melbourne storm legend.

Would love to see Hoffy get an admin or PR job with the Storm once his playing days are ove. Good luck Ryan.

Hoffy bleeds purple and has been a great servant for the Storm. It is a shame to see him finish in different colours. It would have been great if he was a Storm player for life. Having said that I am glad we didn't match the Warriors offer given Hoffy is in the twilight of his career and Hoffy leaving has helped us re-sign Tohu and hopefully Kev. It is also good to see Hoffy get that financial reward before the end of his career.

Hoffy always puts his hand up for work. Remember the combinations he formed with Finchy and Gaz (and to a lesser extent Cooper) just running on to the perfectly timed passes through holes over the try line. A couple of tries stand out against Parramatta in the 2009 GF and against Bulldogs in the 2012 GF. Not to mention his go-go gadget arm try against the Sharks in Round 25, 2012 with 2 or 3 minutes left which allowed Sisa's pass to Will for us to steal the game. Who could forget the amount of times both he and DJ had tape around their heads at the same time?

Hoffy is my five year old daughter's favourite player, mainly because he cooked cupcakes at two Harvey Norman member nights a couple of years ago but also because when we defend the city end Hoffy stands in front of us at kick offs.

Some current stats:
NRL Games: 229 (5th at Storm behind Smith, Geyer, Slater and Cronk) (These are the only players to have played 200 games for the Storm)
NRL Tries: 56 (10th at Storm. He may pass Aaron Moule (58), Zappa (59) and Matt King (60) before the end of the season.
He is one of only 18 players to play first grade for the Storm to play for Australia
He is one of only 16 players to play first grade for the Storm and to play for NSW. Only Lazarus 19, Kimmorley 10 and King 9 (out of Storm players) have played more than his 8 games for NSW. Funnily enough Hoffy, Howe, Kearns, Ryles and White have all played 8 games for NSW.
With his 7th game for City Origin last week he is now just one game behind the all time record for City.

Hoffy is a Storm legend. Thank you and good luck at Warriors.

I seem to always have had our second rowers as favourite players of mine.
I remember talking to Hoffy at the presentation ball the year Mooks retired telling him the 12 was his to make his own... and did he what!!

An absolute legend of the club - as has been said, bleeds purple and only left the club to play in England to help us with the Salary Cap stuff I'm sure - another example to me of putting the club first.

And I actually think the same here - he knows the club can't afford to match the Warriors offer, so has taken the coin (no blame whatsoever!!!) knowing it also means the club probably keeps our 2 up and coming back rowers...

Hoffy is one player that I will never begrudge leaving, and will be absolutely disgusted if there is any sign of negativity towards him from any Storm fans this weekend.

Great clubman - great player and a joy to watch over many years in purple. Thanks for the memories Hoff

steaming stormer wrote:I seem to always have had our second rowers as favourite players of mine.
I remember talking to Hoffy at the presentation ball the year Mooks retired telling him the 12 was his to make his own... and did he what!!

An absolute legend of the club - as has been said, bleeds purple and only left the club to play in England to help us with the Salary Cap stuff I'm sure - another example to me of putting the club first.

And I actually think the same here - he knows the club can't afford to match the Warriors offer, so has taken the coin (no blame whatsoever!!!) knowing it also means the club probably keeps our 2 up and coming back rowers...

Hoffy is one player that I will never begrudge leaving, and will be absolutely disgusted if there is any sign of negativity towards him from any Storm fans this weekend.

Great clubman - great player and a joy to watch over many years in purple. Thanks for the memories Hoff

+ 1000000

This is also an indication of how bad the Warriors are going, they think they can buy success as they have paid massive overs for him and Melbourne would never have matched that offer. However, if anyone is more deserving of a pay rise for the work he’s done over the years, it’s Hoffy and the offer was far too good to refuse and this can set him up for life after footy. This is most likely going to be his last contract and he had to put the club (Melbourne) before himself by walking away (as I mentioned in the original post, this team is most likely going to be heading towards youth over the next couple of years).

steaming stormer wrote:...An absolute legend of the club - as has been said, bleeds purple and only left the club to play in England to help us with the Salary Cap stuff I'm sure - another example to me of putting the club first.

And I actually think the same here - he knows the club can't afford to match the Warriors offer, so has taken the coin (no blame whatsoever!!!) knowing it also means the club probably keeps our 2 up and coming back rowers...

Hoffy is one player that I will never begrudge leaving, and will be absolutely disgusted if there is any sign of negativity towards him from any Storm fans this weekend.

Great clubman - great player and a joy to watch over many years in purple. Thanks for the memories Hoff

100% agree with everything said here - my first thoughts were that he is aware of our salary cap position and he is stepping aside (once again) for the good of the club. Storm life member, and Storm legend for life.

He might be moving to New Zealand for what you'd assume are the last few years of his career but as far as I'm concerned he'll still be Storm for life.

My favourite ever Storm player.
I am really happy for him that he gets a nice juicy three year contract to finish off. He would have been mad not to take it.
Will always be a Storm man to me and I have a feeling that after his career, he will always consider himself a Storm man.