In anticipation of the upcoming season, Harry Grant was named the new captain of the Melbourne Storm, succeeding Christian Welch.
Grant said on the club website, “I’ve worked pretty hard over the last few years to get myself into the NRL and then this position.”Grant will become the 15th captain in the club’s history joining an illustrious group of names to be given the honour, including inaugural skipper Glenn Lazarus and the legendary Cameron Smith.
Grant disclosed that he got a call from coach Craig Bellamy alerting him to the decision to change course.
“I think Bellza must have just been pondering life and picked the phone up at 10 o’clock – I was about to go to sleep,” Grant said.
“He rang me and told me that was the way he was thinking of going and put it to me if I was comfortable with it.”
After making his Storm debut in 2018, the 25-year-old has played 62 games. He has also split time between the Tigers and the Storm, playing 15 games in 2020.
Grant maintained that his role had not changed significantly despite the shift in leadership within the playing group.
Grant remarked, “I don’t really have to change too much.”
It’s a title and a task that members of the leadership group are accustomed to performing in that capacity.
“I might not always have the right thing to say or know the answer, but hopefully I can lead with my actions.”
Craig Bellamy’s new leadership group for the Melbourne Storm includes playmakers Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster as vice captains. Grant will be a part of this group.
“To be fair, Munster or Hughesy could have been in the role I’m doing,” Grant laughed.
“I suppose the title must belong to someone, and it will help the referees clarify a few things. They were a little confused because we had, I believe, four or five captains the previous year.”
The addition of Josh King, Tui Kamikamica, and Ryan Papenhuyzen to the six-man leadership group will be significant.
“Hopefully, one of our strengths this year will be their unique contribution to the playing group,” the Dally M Hooker of the Year winner continued.
“It’s about taking responsibility off each other’s chest and taking ownership of different parts of the playing group.”
Grant, one of the team’s three vice captains the previous season, has risen through the ranks of the team’s leadership ladders to assume the position that was previously occupied by Smith, a fellow No. 9.
Grant remarked, “It was a fair apprenticeship,” about the impact the former captain of the Storm, Queensland, and Australia had on him.
“It’s challenging to build your entire strategy around Cameron because he was so innately gifted as a leader and football player.
“But the most important thing about Smithy was that he put in a lot of work and earned everyone’s respect as a result.
“No matter how big his status in the game got, he was always very humble and had time for all the fans, teammates and everyone in the office.
“So, when you’ve got guys like that leading your club it’s pretty cool to see.”
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