The 2009 Melbourne Storm season was the 12th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season 4th out of 16 teams. They then progressed to their fourth consecutive grand final, this time to be played against the Parramatta Eels and won, claiming their second premiership in three seasons, a title later stripped in 2010 after being found guilty of salary cap breaches.
A slow start to the season saw Melbourne win just three of their first seven games. However the team rallied, losing just one of their next seven to move into fourth position by Round 14, where they would remain for the rest of the season. The finals series was when Melbourne really hit their straps, winning their first two finals by 28 and 30 points respectively. In the Grand Final, Storm defeated Parramatta 23–16 with Billy Slater named the Clive Churchill Medalist.
Melbourne played all their regular season home games at Olympic Park, the final season playing at the venue before moving to the new Melbourne Rectangular Stadium the following season.
Season summary 2 February – New signing Arana Taumata is sacked by the club after he was arrested following an alcohol-fuelled brawl. Three other Storm players were involved in the incident, but only Taumata eventually faced charges. Melbourne became the fourth club in as many years to sack Taumata for disciplinary reasons. Taumata would later plead guilty to assault. Round 1 – A field goal in the fourth minute of golden point extra time by Greg Inglis gives Melbourne a thrilling 17–16 win over St George Illawarra Dragons in the 2009 season opening game at Olympic Park. The game was the first played under the NRL's dual-referee system. Round 2 – A try by former Storm player Israel Folau and a highly controversial try by Peter Wallace hands Brisbane Broncos a 16–14 win over Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium. It is the Broncos first win over Melbourne since the 2006 NRL Grand Final. 14 April – After being informed that he was not fit into their long-term plans, Parramatta Eels' Brett Finch signs with Melbourne, joining the club for the remainder of the 2009 season. Round 7 – Hosting a match on ANZAC Day for just the second time, Melbourne drew 14–14 against New Zealand Warriors in wet and slippery conditions at Olympic Park. Warriors Lance Hohaia looked to have broken the deadlock with less than a minute left in golden point extra time, before the video referee disallowed his successful field goal attempt due to a knock-on in the lead up from Stacey Jones. The drawn result was the club's first since the institution of golden point in 2003. Round 8 – Melbourne exact a small amount of revenge on Manly with a 22–8 win at Brookvale Oval in their first rematch since the 2008 NRL Grand Final. Round 9 – With eight players backing up from the midseason test only three nights earlier, regular captain Cameron Smith starts from the bench, with Cooper Cronk taking over as acting captain. Melbourne defeat Sydney Roosters 28–12 in front of a small crowd at Gosford. 13 May – Part-time specialist coach Matthew Johns indefinitely parted ways with the club following his involvement in a sex scandal. Round 10 – Melbourne claim their 14th-straight win over Canberra Raiders, winning 46–6, their greatest winning margin over the Raiders. Round 13 – Two days after the opening State of Origin match, Melbourne thrash Brisbane 48–4 at Olympic Park, with Joe Tomane scoring 24 points (three tries, six goals). Round 14 – Melbourne returned to Perth for the first time since 1999, defeating South Sydney Rabbitohs 28–22 at Members Equity Stadium. Round 15 – Dane Nielsen becomes the first player sent off for the season, after a high tackle on Wests Tigers er Beau Ryan. With only a few minutes remaining after Nielsen's dismissal, Melbourne hold on to win 14–12. Round 16 – Canberra defeat Melbourne 26–16 at Canberra Stadium, to win their first game against Storm since 2002. 30 July – Brett Finch signs a one-year deal to stay with Melbourne in 2010. 7 August – Melbourne announce that they will end their feeder club arrangement with Central Coast Storm and establish their own team in the NSW Cup in 2010. 10 August – Greg Inglis is charged by police for assaulting his girlfriend Sally Robinson. He is immediately stood-down by Melbourne, with club sponsor ME Bank reportedly reviewing their position with the club. 27 August – The Melbourne Storm board allow Greg Inglis to resume playing, despite still facing assault charges. Round 25 – In the club's last game at Olympic Park, the return of Greg Inglis sparked Melbourne to a 38–4 win over Sydney Roosters, ending a two-game losing streak. Melbourne finish with 104 wins from 136 games at Olympic Park, an imposing 76.5 winning percentage. Round 26 – Melbourne book a top-four finish, with an impressive 30–0 win over New Zealand Warriors to regain the Michael Moore Trophy. Qualifying Final – Returning to Etihad Stadium, Melbourne thrash Manly 40-12 led by four tries from Billy Slater. The win, coupled with upsets in the other qualifying finals earns Melbourne a week off and a preliminary final in Melbourne. Preliminary Final – Held on the night of the 2009 AFL Grand Final, a crowd of 27,687 watches Melbourne demolish Brisbane 40–10 to make their fourth successive Grand Final. A hat-trick of tries to Greg Inglis helping Melbourne end Brisbane's season in disappointment for the third year in a row. Grand Final – Melbourne Storm win their 3rd Grand Final in their 11-year history, beating the Parramatta Eels 23–16 at ANZ Stadium in front of crowd of 82,538. Billy Slater is awarded the Clive Churchill Medal, as Melbourne lead all night withstanding a late Parramatta comeback. 12 November – Salary cap pressure forces Melbourne to bid farewell to Dallas Johnson who subsequently signs with Catalans Dragons on a three-year deal.
Milestone games Round Player MilestoneRound 1 Willie Isa Storm debut Ryan Hinchcliffe Storm debut Wairangi Koopu Storm debutRound 5 James Maloney NRL debut Matthew Cross Storm debutRound 6 Cameron Smith 150th gameRound 7 Brett Finch Storm debutRound 15 Brett White 100th gameRound 19 Luke Kelly NRL debutRound 20 Hep Cahill NRL debutRound 22 Billy Slater 150th game Dallas Johnson 150th game Steve Turner 100th NRL gameRound 23 Matthew Cross 50th NRL gameRound 24 Ryan Tandy Storm debutRound 25 Ryan Hoffman 150th gamePreliminary Final Billy Slater 100th NRL try
Jerseys New apparel supplier KooGa kept the same home and clash jersey design as worn in 2008. ME Bank replaced Medibank as the main jersey advertiser, with all other advertisers continuing their sponsorships from 2008.
In round 10 against Canberra, Melbourne wore a heritage jersey based on the design of the 2001-02 clash jersey, featuring purple with silver thunderbolts. This would be the first time the club had worn an away or clash jersey at Olympic Park.
In the farewell match to Olympic Park in round 25, a special edition of the home jersey had the names of all Storm players in alphabetical order sublimated into purple section of the front of the design, additional embroidery, as well as metallic silver numbers on the back.
Fixtures
Preseason Date Opponent Venue Result Tries Goals Field goals 12 FebruaryTrial New Zealand WarriorsWaikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand1224W Isa, J TomaneJ Maloney, J Williams 21 FebruaryTrial Newcastle KnightsVisy Park, Melbourne3224W Isa (2), J Lima, R Hoffman, G Inglis, A QuinnC Smith (4) 28 FebruaryTrial Brisbane BroncosStockland Park, Sunshine Coast206 W Isa, J Tomane, B Slater, W ChambersG Inglis (2)
Regular season Result by round
Matches Source: – Golden Point extra time (pen) – Penalty try Date Opponent Venue Result Tries Goals Field goals 13 March1 St George Illawarra DragonsOlympic Park, Melbourne1716C Cronk, G Inglis, B SlaterC Smith 2/3G Inglis20 March2 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium, Brisbane1416K Proctor, B SlaterC Smith 3/328 March3 North Queensland Cowboys Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville2612C Cronk, G Inglis, A Quinn, S TurnerC Smith 5/54 April4 Gold Coast Titans Olympic Park, Melbourne618J TomaneC Smith 1/111 April5 Penrith Panthers Olympic Park, Melbourne1614A Quinn, B SlaterC Smith 4/420 April6 Wests Tigers Leichhardt Oval, Sydney616R HoffmanC Smith 1/125 April7 New Zealand WarriorsOlympic Park, Melbourne1414W Chambers, B Slater, S TurnerC Smith 1/31 May8 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval, Sydney228M Cross, G Inglis, B Slater, S TurnerC Smith 3/511 May9 Sydney Roosters Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford2812B Finch, R Hoffman, J Lima, S Turner, B WhiteJ Tomane 4/518 May10 Canberra Raiders Olympic Park, Melbourne466B Slater (2), A Blair, M Cross, R Hoffman, G Inglis, J Lima, S TurnerC Smith 6/7, J Tomane 1/123 May11 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford1026W Chambers (2)C Smith 1/230 May12Bye5 June13 Brisbane Broncos Olympic Park, Melbourne484J Tomane (3), C Cronk (2), W Chambers, G Inglis, B Slater, A TolmanJ Tomane 6/913 June14 South Sydney Rabbitohs Members Equity Stadium, Perth2822C Cronk, R Hoffman, G Inglis, W Koopu, J Tomane, S TurnerC Smith 2/5, J Tomane 0/121 June15 Wests Tigers Olympic Park, Melbourne1412C Cronk, M CrossJ Tomane 3/328 June16 Canberra Raiders Canberra Stadium, Canberra1626W Chambers, G Inglis, C SmithC Smith 2/2, J Tomane 0/14 July17 Newcastle Knights Olympic Park, Melbourne1814W Chambers, G Inglis, B SlaterC Smith 3/311 July18Bye20 July19 Parramatta Eels Parramatta Stadium, Sydney1618R Hoffman, D Nielsen, J TomaneJ Tomane 2/325 July20 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Olympic Park, Melbourne3010B Anderson (2), W Chambers, R Hinchcliffe, C Smith, J TomaneC Smith 2/5, J Tomane 1/231 July21 St George Illawarra Dragons WIN Jubilee Oval, Sydney1226B Finch, G InglisC Smith 2/37 August22 North Queensland Cowboys Olympic Park, Melbourne208C Cronk, B Finch, J Tomane, S TurnerC Smith 2/417 August23 Newcastle Knights EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle1426B Anderson, C Cronk, S TurnerC Smith 1/323 August24 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesOlympic Park, Melbourne1620J Tomane (2), W ChambersC Smith 2/329 August25 Sydney Roosters Olympic Park, Melbourne384G Inglis (2), S Turner (2), W Chambers, B Slater, A TolmanC Smith 5/6, R Hoffman 0/15 September26 New Zealand Warriors Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland300W Chambers (2), R Hinchcliffe, G Inglis, D Nielsen, B SlaterC Smith 3/5, G Inglis 0/1
Finals
Ladder
2009 Coaching Staff Head coach: Craig Bellamy Assistant coaches: Michael Maguire & Stephen Kearney Development coach: Tony Adam Strength and conditioning Coach: Alex Corvo Football Manager: Frank Ponissi NRL Under 20s Coach: Brad Arthur Feeder Club Coach: Jamie Feeney (Central Coast Storm)
2009 squad List current as of 3 May 2022