Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

2016 Melbourne Storm season

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NRL Rank
  
1st (Minor Premier)

Points scored
  
For: 563; Against: 302

Coach
  
Craig Bellamy

Play-off result
  
Runner Up

CEO
  
Dave Donaghy

2016 record
  
Wins: 19; Draws: 0; Losses: 5

The 2016 Melbourne Storm season was the 19th in the club's history, they competed in the 2016 NRL season and were coached by Craig Bellamy, coaching for his 14th consecutive season during which he coached his 350th Game. Melbourne Storm were also captained in 2016 by Cameron Smith, who was the sole captain for the team since 2008 making this his 9th consecutive season. In the pre-season the Storm competed in the 2016 Auckland Nines tournament, reaching the semi-finals.

Contents

Storm kicked off the season with three straight wins despite playing below their best. Marika Koroibete scored a double in a season-opening win against the Dragons while Will Chambers did the same the following week in a 34-16 triumph over the Gold Coast. Two losses soon followed against the Sharks and Bulldogs before a Round 7 golden point-win over Wests Tigers saw Melbourne hit their straps. Cooper Cronk’s 85th minute field goal in that game kick-started a stellar run for Storm that saw them win 13 of their next 14 games to move into top spot on the NRL ladder. Cronk went on to play his 300th NRL game in a Preliminary final later in the season – becoming just the 25th player to reach that mark. The team managed to do that whilst also experiencing one of the longest injury lists the Club has seen. With their outside back stocks all but depleted, Cheyse Blair, rookie Suliasi Vunivalu and mid-season signing Ryan Morgan were all handed Storm debuts.

For the first time in the Club’s history, Storm kept their opponents scoreless in consecutive weeks, first on ANZAC Day against the Warriors (42-0) then the Titans a week later (38-0). Round 10 saw the Melbourne take part in the first ever NRL Double Header in front of 52,347 fans at Suncorp Stadium – the largest non-finals crowd of the season. That night Cameron Smith helped Storm to a thrilling one-point win over the Cowboys with a field goal in the 71st minute. Melbourne then went through the Origin period with a 5-1 record, its best performance during that part of a season in six years. Big away wins over the Roosters and Broncos by 46 and 42 points respectively were the highlights. Vunivalu scored three tries that night against Brisbane to make it 16 tries from his opening 10 games. The 20-year-old ultimately finished with 23 for the season to finish the year as the NRL’s leading try scorer and break Storm’s try-scoring record. The final game of the season saw the men in purple clinch the Club’s first Minor Premiership since 2011 with a 26-6 win over Cronulla. They backed up their efforts in Week One of the finals, defeating reigning premiers North Queensland 16-10. After earning a week off, Craig Bellamy’s side booked their place in a sixth Grand Final in 11 years, narrowly defeating the Canberra Raiders 14-12. That game also broke a new record for Storm as it was the first time in history the Club recorded four consecutive home crowds of 20,000-plus.

Storm then gave their absolute all against the Sharks in the Grand Final and took the lead with 15 minutes to play however they were ultimately piped for the top prize, going down 14-12.

Season summary

  • Auckland Nines – The Melbourne Storm commenced their 2016 season competing in the annual Auckland Nines competition on 6–7 February 2016. For the first time they made it past the pool stage, winning their first two games. They also won their quarter final before losing the semi final to eventual winner the Parramatta Eels.
  • 4 March - Craig Bellamy announces that he has signed a 2-year contract extension with the club meaning his coaching tenure will continue until the end of the 2018 season.
  • Round 1 - The Storm won their 12th consecutive first round encounter, with Marika Koroibete scoring two tries playing in his 50th NRL game. Billy Slater re-injures his shoulder ruling him out for the rest of the season.
  • Round 2 - Storm have a commanding victory over the Titans with Curtis Scott making his NRL debut.
  • Round 3 - Storm remain the only unbeaten side in the NRL after a win over Warriors in New Zealand.
  • Round 5 - Storm score their 300th win in the NRL coming from behind to defeat the Newcastle Knights.
  • Round 6 - Fijian Suliasi Vunivalu became the 171st player to debut for the Storm and in his debut game scored two tries including one in the first minute of the match.
  • Round 9 - The Storm demolish the Gold Coast Titans 38-0 in a very one-sided game, this was the second consecutive week that the Storm have kept a side scoreless. This game marked Craig Bellamy's 350th NRL Game as coach, and also Cheyse Blair's debut for the Storm. In addition the game was notable for the fact that in only his third game, Suliasi Vunivalu scored two tries for the third consecutive week.
  • Round 10 - The Storm defeat reigning premier's North Queensland Cowboys 15-14 in their "home" game at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. Cameron Smith kicked only the second field goal of his career to break the deadlock.
  • 19 May - Winger Marika Koroibete announces that he will leave the Storm at the end of the season and switch to Super Rugby side Melbourne Rebels.
  • Round 11 - Ryan Morgan makes his debut for the Storm against his old club the Parramatta Eels after being granted an immediate release from the Eels following their salary cap scandal.
  • Round 14 - The Storm demolish the Sydney Roosters away in a record breaking win. Records that fell in this game were:
  • It was the Storm’s biggest win against the Roosters,
  • The first time the Roosters were kept tryless against the Storm
  • Roosters worst defeat against any side at Allianz Stadium.
  • First time three tries has been scored by a Storm player this season
  • Most points scored by a Storm player in a game this season
  • Round 15 - Brodie Croft makes his playing debut and Suliasi Vunivalu becomes the NRL leading try scorer - to date, scoring 2 tries in the Storm's loss to St George Illawarra.
  • Round 17 - Melbourne Storm complete a record breaking win over the Brisbane Broncos defeating them 48-6 in what was their 10th win in 11 matches at Suncorp Stadium. Records that fell were:
  • Largest ever win over Broncos.
  • Brisbane's biggest ever defeat at Suncorp Stadium against any side.
  • Melbourne's highest score thus far this season.
  • Cameron Smith scoring 8 goals from 8 attempts scored the most points in a game thus far this season.
  • Round 19 - Matt White made his playing debut, in the Melbourne Storm's narrow win over Newcastle.
  • Round 20 - Jesse Bromwich played his 150th Game against the Storms win over the Sydney Roosters.
  • Round 21 - Marika Koroibete plays his 50th Game.
  • 5 August - Cooper Cronk signs a new two year contract extension that will almost certainly see him finish his career with the Storm.
  • Round 22 - The Storm defeat the South Sydney Rabbitohs 15-14 with a field Goal in Golden point extra time, moving to first place on the NRL table. The win came after scoring a penalty goal in the 80th minute to level the scores.
  • Round 24 - Suliasi Vunivalu scores 4 tries in the Storms big win over Manly and in doing so registered the following records:
  • equaled the club record for most tries scored in a game
  • equaled the club record for most tries scored in a season
  • equaled the NRL record for most tries scored in a rookie season
  • Round 26 - The Storm defeat the Cronulla Sharks in front of a sold out crowd of 24,135 spectators to claim the minor Premiership. Suliasi Vunivalu also scored his 22nd try for the season claiming the outright record for most tries scored in a season for a Melbourne Storm player. Tohu Harris also played his 100th Game.
  • Finals Week 1 - The Storm defeat the North Queensland Cowboys to earn a weeks break and a home Preliminary Final in Week 3.
  • Finals Week 3 - Cooper Cronk played his 300th Game in the home Preliminary final win against Canberra. The win earned the Storm a place in the 2016 NRL Grand Final. The crowd of 28,161 was also the Storms highest home crowd of the season and also their fifth highest ever home attendance.
  • Finals Week 4 - The 2016 NRL Grand Final was and closely fought game and after the Cronulla Sharks won the first half and led 8-0 at half time, the Storm came back to hit the front in the second half 12 - 8 before the sharks scored the match winning try and winning the game 14 - 12. The final went right down to the final minutes with the Storm falling only metres short of scoring a try in the final few seconds. The Grand Final also marked Melbourne Storm's 500th NRL Game.

    • Awards

    Melbourne Storm players walked away from rugby league’s Dally M awards on 28 September 2016 with a total of six Dally M awards. Cooper Cronk was named the Dally M Play of the Year for a second time after winning his first in 2013. Cronk tied with North Queensland Cowboys prop Jason Taumalolo to win. Cronk was also crowned Dally M Halfback of the Year and Cameron Smith the Dally M Hooker of the Year, both players earning the respective honours for a fifth time in their careers. Smith was also named Representative player of the year after breaking Darren Lockyer’s record for most State of Origin games played. After several consistent seasons, Jesse Bromwich was awarded Prop of the Year for the first time while rookie Suliasi Vunivalu added another chapter to a remarkable debut season when he was recognised for as the NRL’s Top Try Scorer.

    The six awards won were:

  • Dally M Player of the Year: Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys) & Cooper Cronk (Storm)
  • Representative Player of the Year: Cameron Smith (Queensland/Storm)
  • Halfback of the Year: Cooper Cronk (Storm)
  • Prop of the Year: Jesse Bromwich (Storm)
  • Hooker of the Year: Cameron Smith (Storm)
  • Top Try Scorer: Suliasi Vunivalu (Storm)

    • On 22 December 2016 Cooper Cronk won the 2016 Rugby League World Golden Boot Award (Worlds best player). The award is decided by a panel of Rugby League experts including Darren Lockyer. It is the first time the Cronk has won the award and the fourth Storm player to do so (more than any other club). The other Storm players to have won this prestigious award are Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Greg Inglis.

    Pre-Season

    Source:

    Regular season

    Source:

  • GP – golden point extra time

    • Ladder

    1 Parramatta were deducted 12 competition points and their for/against tally accumulated between rounds 1-9 for gross long-term salary cap breaches.

    2016 squad

    As of 20 July 2016

    Player movements

    Source:

    Representative honours

    The following players have played a representative match in 2016. (C) = Captain

    (a) - Felise Kaufusi was selected as the 18th Man for Queensland in State of Origin Game 3 but did not play.
    (b) - includes the AUS vs NZL pre-tournament game to be played in Perth prior to travelling to England

    Statistics

    Statistics Source: Complete as of the end of the 2016 Regular season, (these stats do not include finals).

    Scorers

    Most Points in a Game: 16 points

  • Round 17 - Cameron Smith (8 Goals) vs Brisbane Broncos
  • Round 24 - Suliasi Vunivalu (4 Tries) vs Manly Sea Eagles

    • Most tries in a Game: 4

  • Round 24 - Suliasi Vunivalu vs Manly Sea Eagles

    • Winning Games

    Highest score in a winning game: 48 points

  • Round 17 vs Brisbane Broncos

    • Lowest score in a winning game: 14 points

  • Preliminary Final vs Canberra Raiders

    • Greatest winning margin: 46 points

  • Round 14 vs Sydney Roosters

    • Greatest number of Games won consecutively: 7

  • Round 7 to Round 14

    • Losing Games

    Highest score in a losing game: 16 points

  • Round 25 - vs Brisbane Broncos

    • Lowest score in a losing game: 6 points

  • Round 4 - vs Cronulla Sharks

    • Greatest losing margin: 14 points

  • Round 23 - vs Canberra Raiders

    • Jersey

    In November 2015 the Melbourne Storm signed a new 5-year deal with Melbourne-based manufacturer STAR. New Home and Away jerseys have been designed for the upcoming season. The Home jersey is predominantly Navy Blue at the Top and morphing into purple as you move down the jersey, the lightening bolts also make a return on the sides of the jersey. The Away jersey is a striking white top with a Navy Blue and Purple V across the chest.

    References

    2016 Melbourne Storm season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA