2013 Official Thread + Signing news

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
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storming wrote:Guys on the kennel have rated him for awhile now, but they have plenty of forwards there. He will be a good pick up for us
OK thanks. Good to hear that he is rated by some but we're just not sure exactly what qualities he brings.

An enigma...let's hope he is an inspired signing.

On a different note, it seems like the rumours of storm signing Kris Keating were just that.

This is surely good news given the players which the club should be trying to lock away first.
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
Michael :P
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbsZYdp2RsM

The drums are beating, this kid is supposed to be top-shelf.
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storming
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Michael :P wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbsZYdp2RsM

The drums are beating, this kid is supposed to be top-shelf.

reminds me of GI, did we sign him?
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storming
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"He was also seen by the Melbourne Storm earlier in 2012 and was signed for 3 years. He will be attending school in Australia next year on a scholarship from a Brisbane college organised by the Storm to help him with his personal and professional development."

just did a search, hopefully we keep him for a while. will be a good fullback in 3 or 4 years time
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This kid is the real deal. I met his manager when I was in NZ a month ago. He is very highly regarded.
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Interest in Storm star

Marshall is not the only New Zealand playmaker being targeted by rugby, with Melbourne's Matt McGahan also in the sights of the Blues and Chiefs franchises. McGahan, the son of former Kiwis and Roosters captain Hugh McGahan, is a former Junior All Blacks halfback in his third season at the Storm. He is still eligible for the under 20s but will play this weekend for the NSW Cup feeder team Melbourne share with Cronulla.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... z2ZR2IXTuj
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Wellington college stars set to join Storm
Last updated 05:00 17/07/2013



Giant schoolboy rugby player Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be playing rugby league for the Melbourne Storm next year.

The Wellington College star is expected to head to Melbourne late this year, along with the Scots College first XV skipper Eli Vole.

Talented St Pat's Silverstream prop Joe Apikotoa, who has another year at school, is another Melbourne Storm recruit.

Asofa-Solomona, who plays at No 8 for Wellington College, has had an association with the Storm for some time and has attended training camps in Melbourne.

His winter has been disrupted by a foot injury and and he wants to get through the school rugby season before talking publicly about his plans.

However, Melbourne Storm recruitment manager Paul Bunn confirmed that Asofa-Solomona and Vole were scheduled to join the club.

Another pointer to Asofa-Solomona's plans was his omission from the Hurricanes under-18 training camp this week, and he is not expected to be considered for the New Zealand schools side, which is seen as part of rugby's national development programme.

Vole and Asofa-Solomona are likely to play at under-20 level for the Storm next year. Scots College old boy Cade Umaga has been a member of the club's under-20 team this season.

Asofa-Solomona, who did not turn 17 till late February, is over two metres tall and weighs 118kg.

He made a huge impression, particularly as a ball runner, when he burst into the Wellington College first XV last winter, after playing in the under-15 team the previous year.

"He's pretty phenomenal," Wellington College first XV coach Lincoln Rawles said. "In my 12 years involvement with Wellington age group teams and Wellington College teams, I've haven't seen another player of his size with anywhere near the skills and pace Nelson has.

"He's just turned 17 and in terms of height and weight, he's up there with international locks and he's quick, very quick for such a big guy. He's got off-loading skills, he's very good in the lineout and has been known to produce the odd clearing kick.

"He's got the physical attributes that any contact sport team would be after. He works really hard to get himself in the best shape and had a yo-yo score of 19.2 earlier this year, and that is outstanding.

"It would be exciting to watch him develop in either code and it looks like being league at the moment," Rawles said.

"I would love to see him running around in a Hurricanes jersey at some stage but the Storm are a very good club and if they look after him, he might find it pretty tough to leave."

Vole, who leads the Scots team from second five-eighth, has been on the Storm books since he was 14. "I love league and it was a no-brainer at the time. I signed a more formal contract last year and I don't regret it."

Vole expects to head to Melbourne in late November or early December. "It's been there for quite a while but I'm getting a bit nervous, now that it's just around the corner."

Vole, 17, has played both rugby and league at an age group representative level but the Scots first XV has been his priority this winter. "I've made a commitment as the skipper and I'm loving the culture in the team. I enjoy both codes and have learnt a lot from both."

Vole's aim is to become a professional sportsman but he will also study design in Melbourne next year, in case his sporting career comes up short.

"I will give it a really good shot [at the Storm] and see where I'm at after the first two years.

"I'm still quite young and would be eligible for the under-18 team next year but I'm hoping to play for the under-20 side."

Apikotoa, a year-12 student, is another with size on his side - 1.91m tall and 115kg - and has been a growing influence in an outstanding Silverstream pack.

He has played both rugby and league this winter and will be trialling for the New Zealand under-18 league team next week.

He is not yet committed to a move to Melbourne in 2015 but is keen to pursue the opportunity.

- © Fairfax NZ News
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storming
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The scout is picking up some talent again! Very good to hear. Excited to see these boys play, both over 115kgs already
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Will be hard to keep McGahan if he wants a contract top up, but hopefully the club has told him he's earmarked to be Cronk's replacement (maybe?). Would hate to see all the young guys leave.
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Storm to lose some staff
Craig Bellamy has the biggest staff in the NRL - but not for much longer. The new owners of the Storm are about to embark on a massive cost cutting exercise that will see several members of the backroom staff made redundant. News Limited, previous owners of the club, were prepared to run Melbourne at a loss - but the new regime is more concerned about the bottom line, resulting in massive belt-tightening.

http://www.sportal.com.au/league-news-d ... day-244771
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sallymay
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Better not stop storm from doing well
Mattpoet
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agree, but, it probably will
glennb
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It could mean instead of two office people there is one. As we all know reporters like to make a story bigger than what it is. I have read somewhere that the Bulldogs and Hasler spend the most in the football department and we are second highest. But Bulldogs are special.
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isnt this the same story that twitter guy put out as being damaging to the storm and that they'll be massive cuts yada yada... and when we found out that it was staffing changes he back pedalled and said that it affects the Storm because we're family oriented and the players would be upset? :lol:

they'll be changes, sure. But I dont think that Storm are having a clearance as intensive and widespread that it'll cause major disruptions
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Every season they have been changes at Melbourne.
Some have been wholesale changes in the office / backroom.
I only remember one that devastated the on field side - The death of Micheal Moore.
This Sunday...................... That will be remembered - GAME ON STORM :twisted:
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