LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Melbourne Storm have officially announced their second pre-season challenge match for 2026, set to take place against the Gold Coast Titans on the Sunshine Coast.
Although the long-term feeder partnership between the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Melbourne Storm has concluded, the Storm maintain a strong connection with the region where they were based for a significant part of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Storm haven't played on the Sunshine Coast since 2021, but they are excited to bring their trial match against the Titans to the Queensland city on Saturday, February 21.
"We're excited to be returning to the Sunshine Coast, a region we have traditionally had a strong connection with for the final pre-season game for 2026," Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski stated in the announcement. "We have incredible memories from the time there and always have fantastic support. We're looking forward to giving the members and fans in Queensland the chance to see the team up close before the season kicks off."
In addition to the match, the Storm will engage in community outreach programs and will base themselves in the region in the week leading up to the game.
Historically, the Storm have recruited many players from Queensland; however, the competitive landscape has grown more challenging in recent years. The inclusion of the Dolphins in the NRL has created increased competition for talent in the northern Brisbane area, while the Broncos and Titans have also expanded their influence in southeast Queensland.