Jul 28th, 2017

Jul 28th, 2017

It was one of the more unique premiership reunions.

A 10 year celebration of a premiership that, according to the NRL history books, doesn’t exist.

Regardless, Melbourne Storm’s all conquering team of 2007 gathered at a function centre just a short pass from their headquarters.

That team boasted some magnificent names and many of them joined coach Craig Bellamy for the anniversary lunch.

Among them, Matt King, Greg Inglis and a few others who are still running around for the Storm, namely Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater.

The room was full of Rugby League royalty.

But there was also an elephant in the room… and there was simply no avoiding it.

“They can erase what they like, but they’re not going to erase these guys’ memories of what they did in 2007” said Bellamy at the function.

It was in front of more than 81,000 fans on September 30, 2007 that Melbourne Storm tore Manly apart, winning the Grand Final 34-8.

The Storm set the tone for the match early when winger Anthony Quinn scored.

Melbourne had dominated the first half, but only led Manly 10-4.

The second half was a complete domination by the Storm who careered away to win by the massive margin.

Suddenly the club had another premiership trophy in the cabinet back in Melbourne, something to sit proudly alongside its 1999 prize.

Almost three years later, the most brutal of retributions would hit Melbourne.

The club had been found guilty of massive salary cap breaches in the seasons between 2006 and 2010.

On April 22, 2010 a stony faced, emotionless NRL boss, David Gallop, stripped Storm of its 2007 and 2009 Premierships.

There were other penalties, including the stripping of points, but nothing would come close to the pain of handing back those trophies.

“It was like a death in the family,” reflected Matt King.

“We worked so hard as a group for five years to achieve what we did that night,” King added.

For the proud sporting city that is Melbourne, this was warfare.

Although Melbournians are absorbed by all things AFL, Melbourne Storm has become a proud part of the family.

To this day, although conscious of the wrongdoings of Storm bosses back then, the city remains bitter as to the way the NRL went about its business.

It was brutal.

“Unfortunately, it (the 2007 premiership) will forever be tarnished… people will call us cheats and I’m OK with that,” King said.

There was some form of vengeance when the club claimed the 2012 Premiership.

Victorians were all too aware of how much that hurt the Sydney and Brisbane NRL fraternity and how much glee the fraternity gained from seeing Storm stripped of those two premierships.

The 10 year reunion came as Storm prepare to tackle Manly at AAMI Park on Sunday, the team they defeated to win that title in ’07.

That irony will be of little consequence to Bellamy and his men who’ll be more intent on using the game as another stepping stone to the finals.

There’s every chance Storm will get to add another trophy to that cabinet.

There’s plenty of room.

That alone should act as motivation.

That, and wiping the smirks that remain on a few faces up north ten years on.