The 2024 NSWRL Junior Representative season begins this weekend, and Melbourne Storm Head Coach Craig Bellamy and club great Tawera Nikau gave their jerseys to the Harold Matthews and SG Ball sides this night.
Bellamy and Nikau addressed both playing groups before presenting them with their jerseys, and Nikau was joined by several other Storm Old Boys, including Robbie Kearns, Danny Williams, Robbie Ross, Ben Roarty, and Peter Robinson.
Nikau, a key player in Storm’s inaugural 1999 Premiership, was inducted as a Life Member of the club last year and passed on advice to the next crop of young Storm talent coming through.
Current squad members Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jonah Pezet, Eliesa Katoa, Grant Anderson, and Bronson Garlick were also on hand to offer their support.
For the first time in the club’s 26-year existence, Storm will field sides in the NSWRL competition at the U17s, U19s, U21s, and feeder levels in 2024.
Both the U17s and U19s will kick off their 2024 campaign against the North Sydney Bears at Hills Grammar on Saturday, with Storm’s Harold Matthews inaugural game in the competition kicking proceedings off at 1pm.
Storm’s Jersey Flegg side will start their season in the first week of March against the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Both squads have had the opportunity to train alongside the NRL Squad in recent weeks, with the club hosting two open training sessions in Pakenham and Truganina, with another planned to take place in Broadmeadows in a few weeks time.
