Eye of the Storm

It’s time for Melbourne Storm to build their roster. Who would make up the inagural squad? Who would be fullback? Who would be a strong forward? Who would be the Captain? More importantly, who would coach them? Many uncertainties loomed around the formation of the first Victorian team.Hear from some of the Club legends that started it all Chris Anderson, Robbie Ross, Glenn Lazarus, Tawera Nikau, Marcus Bai, Matt Geyer and Robbie Kearns as they reminisce on how it all began.

This episode is in loving memory of Melbourne Storm’s inaugural Football Manager, Michael Moore.Described by those who worked with Michael as the heart and soul of the Club in the early days, his uniting approach to creating a team is still regarded as a foundational pillar of Storm’s modern operations, from picking up players from the airport to helping them fit their new homes with regular trips to Harvey Norman.Staff and players that never met Michael are still told the stories of his contributions, fostering the commitment to upholding his legacy within the Club.

After three wins on the road to start its historic inaugural season, Storm returned to Melbourne to play in front of its home faithful for the first time ever.A sense of nervousness and anticipation surrounded that evening on April 3, 1998 both on and off the field. Could the men in purple continue their fairytale start to life in the big time when they stepped out onto Olympic Park to face the North Sydney Bears?However the bigger question remained off the field - How many Victorians would show up to watch this foreign game? How many people would care? The answers were resounding.  This is the story of the night the sport’s capital, Melbourne, embraced its newest team. 

Get a sneak peek into the Eye of the Storm...