Season 27 – Player Report Card (Part 1)

2024 Storm Machine Player of the Year awards

Oct 28, 2024

With a magical season from the halfback, Jahrome Hughes was the winner of the 2024 Storm Machine Player of the Year award.

Storm Machine Player of the Year

Report card

Melbourne used 33 players during the 2024 season down one from 2023, with only Aaron Pene unused before his departure to the Leigh Leopards midseason. 24 players received points in my voting system, up one from 2023.

Jahrome Hughes

1st – 35 points in 15 appearances; 23 matches played, 12 tries.

As the deserving Dally M Medal and Cameron Smith Player of the Year Award winner, Jahrome Hughes was massive in 2024. He started the season in fine form despite the club pleading guilty to the joke of a charge laid by the match review against the Warriors.1 Indeed Hughes played in only three of Melbourne’s six losses for the season, underlining his importance to the team. He was especially missed in the round ten match against Cronulla.

Returning to the team after missing two weeks, he went on a tear through the middle of the season, dominating against the Warriors in round 15 and the Dolphins in round 16.2 He scored two hat tricks late in the season, scoring tries for fun against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium and again in the demolition of the Roosters in the preliminary final. However that came at a cost with niggling injuries catching up to the halfback in the Grand Final. He was shut down by the Panthers and had his quietest match of the year in the decider. Those injuries also kept him out of the New Zealand side for the Pacific Championships.

It will be interesting to see if 2024 is repeatable for the halfback, because an encore might see the Storm jump that Penrith hurdle for premiership number seven.

Best game: round 15 versus New Zealand Warriors

Harry Grant

2nd – 22 points in 12 appearances; 23 matches played, 12 tries, 1 goal.

Appointed captain at the start of the season, last year’s Storm Machine Player of the Year had another great season, without ever being spectacular like Hughes. He was great in the round 11 match against the Eels at Magic Round, and backed that up in matches before he was missing on Origin duty for a month. Finishing the season strongly, he was one of Melbourne’s best in the Grand Final, scoring the Storm’s only try.

Received 33 Dally M points across the season to again be named the Dally M Hooker of the Year, Grant started all three matches at hooker for Australia in the Pacific Championships.

Best game: qualifying final versus Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Eliesa Katoa

3rd – 18 points in 12 appearances; 25 matches played, 12 tries.

It was potential fulfilled for Eli Katoa in 2024. Scoring a bunch of tries (doubling his 2023 output) was reward for his efforts across the entire season. But it wasn’t just in attack that he was a difference maker. His workrate in defence was extremely high and his discipline was great. His combination with Jahrome Hughes keeps going from strength to strength as he becomes a leader both on and off the field for the club.

Best game: round 5 versus Brisbane Broncos

Tyran Wishart

4th – 12 points in 7 appearances; 26 matches played, 12 tries, 14 goals.

Came into season 2024 just wanting to play more NRL matches after making 14 appearances in 2023, and 15 in 2022. Ends 2024 with the title of Mr Versatility making 26 appearances, spending time at five-eighth, halfback, hooker, fullback, wing and the impact bench utility. Wishart made himself indispensable in 2024, so much so that half the league will be chasing his signature and he’s been talked about as a possible NSW player. That’s some rise. He scored some crucial tries, including one against the Panthers at Penrith. Not sure how Melbourne can keep him beyond the end of his current contract, but he will be an important cog in 2025.

Best game: round 26 versus North Queensland Cowboys

Cameron Munster

5th – 10 points in 5 appearances; 17 matches played, 5 tries.

Starting the season in round five after his preseason injury in Fiji, Munster looked a little out of sorts on his immediate return, but was hitting some form before that groin/hip injury stopped him at Magic Round. When he returned over two months later, he wasn’t his absolute best, but did look like his best self come the finals. Worked hard in the Grand Final, but ultimately couldn’t find the right amount of magic required to steal the victory. A better preseason should have him right to go in 2025 where he’ll be looking to return to the Origin arena and to lead Storm to the finals again.

Best game: round 8 versus South Sydney Rabbitohs

Ryan Papenhuyzen

Equal 6th – 9 points in 6 appearances; 20 matches played, 13 tries, 1 field goal.

Played 20 games for the season for the first time since 2020, but still missed a chunk of the middle of the season through injury. Those injuries over the last few years might have had an impact on his pace, but it’s the organisational skills from fullback and knowing when to come into the play that makes him Melbourne’s number one. Giving up the goalkicking duties was the right move, as was backing himself to sign a one-year contract extension to take down some of the pressure he would have been under in 2025.

Best game: round 2 versus New Zealand Warriors

Trent Loiero

Equal 6th – 9 points in 8 appearances; 26 matches played.

Most improved? Won the club’s award so yeah definitely. Moved from the edge to the middle where he might have played less minutes, but felt more effective. His numbers show that he was able to make more metres with the ball, but make more tackles with less missed tackles, penalties and errors. His reward was selection for Queensland, although he is yet to make his representative debut.

His play mightn’t be flashy, but that’s his role in the team and he played it well in 2024.

Best game: qualifying final versus Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Xavier Coates

Equal 8th – 8 points in 5 appearances; 16 matches played, 10 tries.

Scored the try of the season in the final minute of the round 2 comeback win against the Warriors rendering that award moot for the remainder of the season. That was the winger’s first try of ten for the season including a hat trick against the Bunnies in round 8 on ANZAC Day.

A hamstring injury suffered in round 17 saw the representative winger sidelined until late in the season, returning in the final round match against the Broncos to score a try. That would be his last for the season though, with Coates unable to cross the line in the two finals at AAMI Park. He topped the metre count for the Storm in the Grand Final with 206m from 20 runs, including two linebreaks and five tackle busts.

Best game: round 7 versus Sydney Roosters

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Josh King

Equal 8th – 8 points in 6 appearances; 26 matches played, 3 tries.

Mr Reliable again for the Storm, King moved to a front row forward role in the middle forward rotation, missing only the round 26 match when he was rested. Scored three tries for the season, including two in consecutive matches in the middle of the season, backing that up with a big game against the Roosters in round 20 when he went toe-to-toe with their big forward pack and served up the no try assist of the year with his grubber kick through to Grant Anderson.

Best game: round 20 versus Sydney Roosters

Will Warbrick

10th – 7 points in 4 appearances; 25 matches played, 15 tries.

Not as many tries for the winger in 2024, but a solid second season nonetheless. Averaged more metres per game than last season and formed a good partnership with Nick Meaney on the right edge. Scored a hat trick in the final round match against the Broncos and a double in the qualifying final against the Sharks. Was rewarded with selection for the Kiwis in the Pacific Championships, with the press proclaiming him a triple international after he had previously represented New Zealand in Australian football and rugby sevens.

Best game: round 27 versus Brisbane Broncos

Continued in part two: