The Mole: Storm players will be 'shaking in their boots' at thought of third straight grand final loss

The Storm will have to achieve a feat unparalleled in the NRL era if they are to take out this year's premiership.

No team has ever lost back-to-back grand finals and bounced back to take the title.

But if there is one man capable of such a turnaround, it is Craig Bellamy - one of the greatest coaches of all time.

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Bellamy has an amazing record of getting his team to the finals - what he must now do is erase the mental demons that two straight grand final defeats have created.

Can you imagine grand final day 2026 and the Storm are there? Players will literally be shaking in their boots at the prospect of a hat-trick of defeats that will write their names into history, with the inevitable 'chokers' tag alongside it.

Making things tougher for the Storm is the carnage of the off-season. Eli Katoa, arguably the best second-rower in the world, is out for the year after the Pacific Championships fiasco.

Then the Storm lost backline stars Grant Anderson (Broncos), Ryan Papenhuyzen (retired) and Jonah Pezet (Eels) as well as giant forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona (boxing) and the reliable Bronson Garlick (Rabbitohs).

Ironically, Bellamy has decided the backline wasn't the problem, opting to shore up his pack with the addition of Jack Hetherington (Knights) and Davvy Moale (Rabbitohs).

The Storm won't be as strong as in recent years, but with Bellamy at the helm and the culture they have developed, they are still a certainty for the top eight.

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Papenhuyzen is a huge loss but in Sua Fa'alogo, the Storm have a brilliant like-for-like who may even give them more strike power from the back.

Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant will be the 'big three' and if they stay healthy and in form, the Storm will remain a major threat.

2026 gains: Manaia Waitere (Raiders), Jack Hetherington (Knights), Trent Toelau (Panthers), Davvy Moale (Rabbitohs)

2026 losses: Bronson Garlick (Rabbitohs), Grant Anderson (Broncos), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (released), Dean Ieremia (released), Jonah Pezet (Eels), Ryan Papenhuyzen (released)

Best buy: Hetherington has had an up-and-down career but is an impact forward who I can see thriving under Bellamy.

It's a big season for: Cameron Munster, who will have to step up like never before to keep the Storm up among the elite level of teams in the NRL.

Biggest question mark: Can the players - and coach - retain their confidence and ability to win big matches after the heartache of two straight grand final losses?

Finish last year (after 26 rounds): 2nd

Predicted finish: 3rd

Best 19 man squad

1. Sua Fa'alogo

2. Xavier Coates

3. Nick Meaney

4. Jack Howarth

5. Will Warbrick

6. Cameron Munster

7. Jahrome Hughes

8. Josh King

9. Harry Grant

10. Stefano Utoikamanu

11. Joe Chan

12. Shawn Blore

13. Trent Loiero

Interchange

14. Tyran Wishart

15. Jack Hetherington

16. Davvy Moale

17. Alec MacDonald

18. Moses Leo

19. Lazarus Vaalepu

Odds to win comp: $7