Challenge accepted: Grant backs new-look Storm to rise again

Melbourne Storm captain Harry Grant has expressed confidence in his team's ability to overcome challenges following consecutive grand final defeats, even with the offseason departures of several key players.

After losing to Penrith in the 2024 finals, Craig Bellamy's squad managed to bounce back in 2025, reaching the grand final again. However, they faced disappointment once more, surrendering a 22-12 halftime lead to ultimately lose 26-22 to the Broncos.

Since joining the competition in 1998, the Storm have missed the finals only three times, and their pursuit of a 22nd finals series in Bellamy's 23rd year is facing significant hurdles. The team is grappling with the exits of prominent players like Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona, as well as the absence of 2025 Dally M second-rower award winner Eli Katoa, who has been ruled out for the entire 2026 season.

For Grant, a critical concern is determining who will fill the fullback position left vacant by Papenhuyzen. Samoa representative Sua Fa'alogo is a leading candidate to return to the starting lineup, having previously missed the end of the 2025 season due to a hamstring injury.