Most Melbourne Storm players are old hands at raising trophies following last year’s NRL premiership and minor premiership wins.

Lifting the World Club Challenge title last Friday was par for the course for the Storm but for prop Christian Welch it was his first piece of silverware, as a knee reconstruction robbed him of his chance to play in last year’s successes.

Storm's Christian Welch is assisted from the field. Credit:AAP

The 23-year-old went down with the injury last May, just as the Storm were making their run towards the premiership.

In the away change rooms in Wollongong, he was in tears at the thought of a year on the sidelines and a lost chance at atoning for falling short in the 2016 grand final.