decision looms on 10 storm players
THE next six weeks is crunch time for Melbourne Storm, with decisions looming on whether up to 10 players remain at the club next season.
Storm officials have signed 19 of the 32 top-squad players for 2012, including all bar two of tomorrow's 17-man team - veteran prop Adam Woolnough and New Zealander Adam Blair.
Centres Beau Champion and Chase Stanley will be leaving and forward Blair is expected to follow, leaving up to a dozen spots vacant.
Melbourne football manager Frank Ponissi said players contracted for this season would be looked at first, then the club's under-20s would be examined for potential first-graders before Storm's recruiters looked elsewhere.
Among those looking for another contract are giant young centre Elijah Niko who had been a try-scoring machine for Storm's Queensland Cup feeder team but was yet to crack the NRL.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
Hoffman to return to Storm? FoxSports, 10 hours ago
Subs at the ready for Storm Herald Sun, 4 May 2011
Champion to quit Storm FoxSports, 4 May 2011
Titans loosen Storm's grip on Champion Herald Sun, 14 Apr 2011
Maguire to take the controls at Redfern The Australian, 12 Apr 2011
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
"We've spoken individually to all of them so they know where they are," Ponissi said.
Ponissi said the club was in the market for an experienced centre from another NRL club, and possibly a forward.
It is believed Storm has unofficially spoken to former star back-rower Ryan Hoffman, who has been playing with UK side Wigan under former Storm assistant coach Michael Maguire, who will coach South Sydney next year.
There has been speculation Hoffman could join him at the Rabbitohs but a return to Melbourne hasn't been ruled out.
STORM centre Dane Nielsen looks likely to hold on to his Queensland spot for State of Origin's second game on June 15 after Maroons centre Willie Tonga was ruled out for the rest of the series with a shoulder injury sustained in Wednesday night's win.
So if all bar 2 of tomorrow's team (A.Blair and Woolnough) are signed up, does that mean Sika has re signed?
Storm officials have signed 19 of the 32 top-squad players for 2012, including all bar two of tomorrow's 17-man team - veteran prop Adam Woolnough and New Zealander Adam Blair.
Centres Beau Champion and Chase Stanley will be leaving and forward Blair is expected to follow, leaving up to a dozen spots vacant.
Melbourne football manager Frank Ponissi said players contracted for this season would be looked at first, then the club's under-20s would be examined for potential first-graders before Storm's recruiters looked elsewhere.
Among those looking for another contract are giant young centre Elijah Niko who had been a try-scoring machine for Storm's Queensland Cup feeder team but was yet to crack the NRL.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
Hoffman to return to Storm? FoxSports, 10 hours ago
Subs at the ready for Storm Herald Sun, 4 May 2011
Champion to quit Storm FoxSports, 4 May 2011
Titans loosen Storm's grip on Champion Herald Sun, 14 Apr 2011
Maguire to take the controls at Redfern The Australian, 12 Apr 2011
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
"We've spoken individually to all of them so they know where they are," Ponissi said.
Ponissi said the club was in the market for an experienced centre from another NRL club, and possibly a forward.
It is believed Storm has unofficially spoken to former star back-rower Ryan Hoffman, who has been playing with UK side Wigan under former Storm assistant coach Michael Maguire, who will coach South Sydney next year.
There has been speculation Hoffman could join him at the Rabbitohs but a return to Melbourne hasn't been ruled out.
STORM centre Dane Nielsen looks likely to hold on to his Queensland spot for State of Origin's second game on June 15 after Maroons centre Willie Tonga was ruled out for the rest of the series with a shoulder injury sustained in Wednesday night's win.
So if all bar 2 of tomorrow's team (A.Blair and Woolnough) are signed up, does that mean Sika has re signed?
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Melbourne & Bears
- Squall
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- Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:20 pm
I haven't heard anything so either the journalist hasn't done his homework or he has.
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[ Post made via iPhone ]