Warbrick’s heroics for Storm a season in the making

Oliver Caffrey | September 16, 2023

Will Warbrick has an Olympic silver medal but the Melbourne winger might have topped that for the greatest moment of his multi-talented sporting career.

The 25-year-old wrote himself into Storm folklore on Friday night by scoring the winning try in the dying stages of the NRL semi-final against the Sydney Roosters.

The New Zealander flew high into the air to grab a perfect Cameron Munster long bomb, grounding the try to put Melbourne back in front with 90 seconds left after the Roosters briefly led 13-12.

It was an instantly iconic rugby league moment, immediately drawing comparisons with Israel Folau’s exploits in the 13-a-side code.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said Warbrick’s spectacular aerial effort would have “done justice over the road” at the MCG as 96,412 people watched a thrilling AFL semi-final between Carlton and Melbourne held at the same time as the NRL match.

“Me and Munster have worked on that throughout the season,” Warbrick said

“There’s no call for it, it’s sort of just the eyes, and with Munster you expect anything, so I was ready for it if he did kick it high, and just to be on my toes to chase it.

“A crazy moment the way that my teammates reacted and how the crowd was, I’ve never had that experience before.”

Warbrick stepped up in the absence of Xavier Coates after the fellow winger hurt his ankle in the Storm’s nightmare 26-0 qualifying final thumping to Brisbane seven days earlier.

Munster and Warbrick could not have picked a better time to nail their combination.

“We’ve tried it a couple of times but haven’t got a result from it,’ Warbrick said.

“The coaches talk to me to keep working on it, make it a strength of mine. 

“To see it translate from the training pitch to the field in a moment like that, it’s pretty insane.”

Warbrick spent a year playing Australian rules football as a teenager and even made New Zealand’s under-18 side, attracting mild interest from some AFL clubs.

But instead of going down the AFL path, the 193cm, 105kg power athlete chose to play rugby sevens, culminating in a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Following New Zealand’s Olympics campaign, Warbrick signed with the Storm ahead of the 2022 season.

After a frustrating first year in the NRL, Warbrick has taken his opportunities this season.

I’m still learning the game,” he said.

“I think a big thing is I’m just enjoying my time here in Melbourne; my teammates, the coaches, the city, the club. 

“I think that’s been a big factor why I’ve had an alright run this year.

“I’m in a happy place and I’m enjoying my footy.”