Official thread and signing news

[TC]

One thing I've always loved about cheese - he calls a spade a spade...

Speaking of tools, the phrase "box of hammers" springs to mind...*

* Edit: thinking of Cheese, not you.

[TC]

So......I'm not advocating this (before everyone piles on),....BUT if Paps was to leave and ended up at the Sharks, do Storm look to replace him with Will Kennedy to play FB (presumably on less coin than Paps wanted) ?

I'm really struggling to see Sua hold down FB week in week out throughout the NRL season.

Thoughts ?

the ifs are definitely interesting. Id prefer kennedy on 700 then papa on 1 million. Realistically they offer pretty similar on the park, but papa probably offers more off field, then again I'm sure kennedy is a great character too.

Im not sure suas ready to go either and only the club would know.

There's a lot of creative/left field options I'd try before kennedy. Munster, which ive said but most think he's not up to it. And i'll be shot too flames for this one, i think warbrick with the way his running game/fitness/leauge iq is progressing could work there as an edwards/teddy type workhorse.

Kennedy isn't worth 700. I might accept that he's worth 60% of what Paps is worth. If we can't have Ryan, I'd rather put Meaney there; we know he can do the job.

And while I like Sua, he's still a long way from being the fullback for a top 4 side. Defence and positional play need a lot of work, and he can't organise the defensive line like Paps can. Or Meaney or Munster come to think of it. Another year or two with Billy's tutelage then maybe. Personally, as a development project maybe it would be worth looking at Coates.

[Shuttlesworth99]

One thing I've always loved about cheese - he calls a spade a spade...




Roosters hooker Brandon Smith has angered Melbourne Storm officials with an awkward public take on Ryan Papenhuyzen’s contract saga.

Off-contract in 2025, Papenhuyzen has so far rejected extension offers from the Storm and is testing his value on the open market.

Papenhuyzen has been free to negotiate with NRL rivals for 2026 and beyond from November 1 and has been linked to the Bulldogs and the Eels.


Speaking on his Cheese And Jam podcast with former NRL player James Graham, Smith appeared to take a shot at Papenhuyzen.

“I don’t think they [the Storm] undervalued him,” Smith said.

“I think if you look back in the last three years, he’s played 15-odd games. I think that would have been a part of the decision-making process.

“We can’t continue to pay this guy $1.1m when he’s playing 30 per cent of the season. He’s small and he’s fragile.”

Seems a bit like a players code broken there with that quote.

[blazza18]

Brandon is pretty spot on and it’s refreshing to hear someone actually say it instead of tiptoeing around what’s going on.

I’m surprised by the pessimism around Sua being the next #1. He’s talented as heck and probably(?) did more in his limited game time than what Paps did back in 2019. I wonder why people are more concerned now? I’ve been as critical as anyone and even I think he deserves time to show if he can handle it or not.

[Bullucked]

Brandon is pretty spot on and it’s refreshing to hear someone actually say it instead of tiptoeing around what’s going on.

I’m surprised by the pessimism around Sua being the next #1. He’s talented as heck and probably(?) did more in his limited game time than what Paps did back in 2019. I wonder why people are more concerned now? I’ve been as critical as anyone and even I think he deserves time to show if he can handle it or not.

I've watched Sua closely at training and he is very vocal with directing players around, VERY vocal.
At training they don't tackle (properly anyways) and they don't really throw plays at the defence. (My guess is they work more on video with this)
Fullbacks don't need to be big, just brave and I don't doubt his bravery one bit, but, I doubt his ability to run out whole games and to curb his enthusiasm. Choosing when to go is what he needs to work on, he can't back up every play and be able to score every big flashy try.
Hopefully he spends a lot of time over the summer under Billy's wing and, they get BooBoo in to his ear as well and work on his endurance (at the moment he's a 60 minute player).

Sua 'aint no Paps but things really are looking up (there, I've talked myself in to him )

[The Black Dot]

Brandon is pretty spot on and it’s refreshing to hear someone actually say it instead of tiptoeing around what’s going on.

I’m surprised by the pessimism around Sua being the next #1. He’s talented as heck and probably(?) did more in his limited game time than what Paps did back in 2019. I wonder why people are more concerned now? I’ve been as critical as anyone and even I think he deserves time to show if he can handle it or not.

Fullbacks don't need to be big, just brave and I don't doubt his bravery one bit, but, I doubt his ability to run out whole games and to curb his enthusiasm. Choosing when to go is what he needs to work on, he can't back up every play and be able to score every big flashy try.
Hopefully he spends a lot of time over the summer under Billy's wing and, they get BooBoo in to his ear as well and work on his endurance (at the moment he's a 60 minute player).

I'm totally on board with this as I also think at the moment he's a 60 min player. The normal comment that give him time , and this will upset a few, is not really a defence as in a game there is really no L plates, just targets.

[Papenhuyzen23]

Brandon is pretty spot on and it’s refreshing to hear someone actually say it instead of tiptoeing around what’s going on.

I’m surprised by the pessimism around Sua being the next #1. He’s talented as heck and probably(?) did more in his limited game time than what Paps did back in 2019. I wonder why people are more concerned now? I’ve been as critical as anyone and even I think he deserves time to show if he can handle it or not.

This, I don’t understand the doubt around Sua either, it’s like no one really watched Paps this season, I’m his biggest fan and even I can admit he was well below par.

Sua has always showed a willingness to learn and has looked far more dangerous with the ball in hand than Paps, I’d even argue he makes the effort plays in defence that Paps won’t anymore, including bomb defusal and cover tackles, look could he curb his enthusiasm? Sure, but he is a star in the making and this point how anyone can doubt his place in the team baffles me.

People comparing him to prime Paps or Prime Billy have an obvious agenda against the kid, I’m not sure in what world a comparison at this point of his career is fair. If anything like Blazza said he is showing as much if not more than Paps at the same age.

Either way I’m sure Paps will start the year in the #1 and Sua will get more experience and time learning from the best, but make no mistake he is our future superstar, a future that isn’t as far away as some here suggest.

[Storm Spirit]

Brandon is pretty spot on and it’s refreshing to hear someone actually say it instead of tiptoeing around what’s going on.

I’m surprised by the pessimism around Sua being the next #1. He’s talented as heck and probably(?) did more in his limited game time than what Paps did back in 2019. I wonder why people are more concerned now? I’ve been as critical as anyone and even I think he deserves time to show if he can handle it or not.

This, I don’t understand the doubt around Sua either, it’s like no one really watched Paps this season, I’m his biggest fan and even I can admit he was well below par.

Sua has always showed a willingness to learn and has looked far more dangerous with the ball in hand than Paps, I’d even argue he makes the effort plays in defence that Paps won’t anymore, including bomb defusal and cover tackles, look could he curb his enthusiasm? Sure, but he is a star in the making and this point how anyone can doubt his place in the team baffles me.

People comparing him to prime Paps or Prime Billy have an obvious agenda against the kid, I’m not sure in what world a comparison at this point of his career is fair. If anything like Blazza said he is showing as much if not more than Paps at the same age.

Either way I’m sure Paps will start the year in the #1 and Sua will get more experience and time learning from the best, but make no mistake he is our future superstar, a future that isn’t as far away as some here suggest.

Sua is an explosive, dangerous, talented player no doubt. But can he organise and structure a whole defensive line for 80 minutes ? If he regularly gets caught out of position bc he's so enthusiastic in attack and can't get back behind the defensive line to defuse kicks or lay tackles on opposing players, then Storm will lose more games than it wins. Just my opinion. it's only Craig's and the other coaches & Frank's opinion that matters though.

[Scooter]

Frank Ponissi has agreed to a five year extension keeping him at Storm until the end of the 2029 season.

[sallymay]

Thank god best news ever

[blazza18]

Very risky extension. Still not sure if he can control the game at all.

[TC]

Frank Ponissi has agreed to a five year extension keeping him at Storm until the end of the 2029 season.

Excellent news.
Ponnisi signs five year extension

[Lucas]

Very risky extension. Still not sure if he can control the game at all.

I think you can rest easy. No recent reports of any injuries.

[yanjarra]

i hear he's small and fragile

[glennb]

Daily Telegraph:
ALL BLACKS SEVENS STAR’S NRL HINT
Melbourne look to have landed New Zealand 7s star Moses Leo 12 months ahead of schedule after the All Blacks international was given an early release from his contract.
Leo had already signed with the Storm for 2026 but the club kept a spot open in their top squad in case he was allowed to leave. If his Instagram page is anything to go by, it appears he will be in Melbourne this season.
“Just want to say thank you to NZR, @nzsevens and @harbourrugby for giving me a space to grow, thrive and showcase my abilities to the world,” Leo wrote.
“To all the people who’ve helped me in my journey through rugby in NZ, coaches, teammates, friends and family, I wouldn’t be living this dream without you and your ongoing support.
“I truly love all the teams I’ve had the pleasure to serve and am excited for what’s to come. In a bit NZ.”
He signed off with a lightning bolt, which is the logo of the Storm.