Former Collingwood premiership captain Nick Maxwell is the man charged with preparing Melbourne for life after the "big three" – Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk – and he believes the club's next crop of leaders can ensure the Storm continue to be an NRL force in years to come.

The Queensland and Australian Test trio have been the cornerstone of a wildly successful team south of the border for more than a decade and the subject of their eventual retirements has been likened to those of a handful of giants of the Australian cricket team earlier this century.

Fond farewell: Cooper Cronk bids farewell to the Melbourne fans on Friday night. Credit:AAP

Cronk, 33, is playing his final game for the Storm in Sunday's grand final against North Queensland before relocating to Sydney and while Slater is likely to play on in 2018 and Smith is contracted for at least another year, Storm officials know they will not be around forever.

It is why coach Craig Bellamy and football director Frank Ponissi three years ago contacted a newly retired Maxwell to help develop a plan for life beyond the big three.