<p>The 2026 NRL season is less than a month away, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl/round-1">Round 1</a> officially beginning on Saturday, February 28 in Las Vegas.</p> <p>In preparation for the new season, here at the Huddle, we’re running the rule over all 17 teams as we look to separate the contenders from the pretenders.</p> <p>We’ll analyse squad depth, each side’s draw, where the odds have them painted in the premiership picture and more, before offering up a predicted finish for each club.</p> <p>The perennially competitive Melbourne Storm are being slid under the microscope here, as we see if they can finally break their two-year grand final heartbreak. This is our Melbourne Storm 2026 season preview.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Storm Players 2026</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>There have been significant personnel changes at the Melbourne Storm in the offseason, meaning there are a few new faces in Craig Bellamy’s squad.</p> <p>These include new signings Davvy Moale from the Rabbitohs, Jack Hetherington from the Knights, and rookie playmakers Trent Toelau and Manaia Waitere.</p> <p>Key departures include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/storm-release-ryan-papenhuzyen-effective-immediately">Ryan Papenhuyzen</a>, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, and Jonah Pezet.</p> <p>The club still has a staggering eight spots to fill on its roster before the June 30 deadline and are&nbsp;reportedly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/storm-linked-with-lomax-after-r360-postponement">pursuing star winger Zac Lomax</a> among others.</p> <p>The currently Melbourne Storm squad for the upcoming NRL season is as follows:</p> <p><em>Shawn Blore, Joe Chan, Xavier Coates, Sua Fa'alogo, Harry Grant (c), Jack Hetherington, Jack Howarth, Jahrome Hughes (c), Tui Kamikamica, Josh King, Ativalu Lisati, Trent Loiero, Moses Leo, Nick Meaney, Davvy Moale, Cameron Munster, Gabriel Satrick, Trent Toelau, Stefano Utoikamanu, Manaia Waitere, Will Warbrick, Tyran Wishart.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Storm Main Man</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Harry Grant</h3> <p>Hooker, captain, and 2025 IRL Golden Boot winner. Along with his co-captain Jahrome Hughes and five-eighth Cameron Munster, Harry Grant forms part of what is arguably the most dangerous spine in the competition.</p> <p>Grant's leadership and skill were instrumental in guiding the Storm to back-to-back grand final appearances in 2024 and 2025. His relentless work rate in both attack and defence sets the standard for the team.</p> <p>Following the departure of several key players, the Storm's success in 2026 will heavily rely on Grant's ability to lead a refreshed squad.</p> <p>His combination with the electrifying young fullback Sua Fa'alogo will be crucial as Melbourne looks to go one better and lift the trophy.</p> <p>If Melbourne are to overcome the heartbreak of consecutive grand final defeats, Grant will need to be at the centre of their charge.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Storm Draw Difficulty Rating</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Storm face a challenging start to their 2026 campaign as they navigate life with a reshuffled lineup.</p> <p>They’ll be put to the test early on, with a Round 3<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl-futures-multi-hub/nrl-grand-final-winner-2026-9699133"> grand final re-match</a> against the reigning premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, at Suncorp Stadium.</p> <p>With significant changes to their roster, building early momentum will be key, but a tough opening schedule presents an immediate hurdle.</p> <p><strong>Difficulty rating:</strong> Medium.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Storm Season Prediction 2026</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>On paper, the loss of experienced rep players like Papenhuyzen and Asofa-Solomona, coupled with the season-long absence of Eliesa Katoa, suggests a challenging year for the Storm.</p> <p>However, writing off a team coached by Craig Bellamy is a fool's errand. The core spine of Fa'alogo, Munster, Hughes, and Grant is world-class and can win games on its own.</p> <p>The development of young forwards like Ativalu Lisati and the recruitment of Davvy Moale will be vital.</p> <p>Despite the significant player turnover, the Storm's ingrained culture of success and elite coaching staff should see them remain a top-tier contender.</p> <p><strong>Predicted finish:</strong><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/rugby-league/nrl-futures-multi-hub/nrl-top-4-finish-2026-9840354"> 2nd.</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Storm Predicted Round 1 Team</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>1. &nbsp; Sua Fa’alogo</p> <p>2. &nbsp; Will Warbrick</p> <p>3. &nbsp; Jack Howarth</p> <p>4. &nbsp; Nick Meaney</p> <p>5. &nbsp; Xavier Coates</p> <p>6. &nbsp; Cameron Munster</p> <p>7. &nbsp; Jahrome Hughes</p> <p>8. &nbsp; Stefano Utoikamanu</p> <p>9. &nbsp; Harry Grant</p> <p>10.&nbsp; Josh King</p> <p>11.&nbsp; Shawn Blore</p> <p>12.&nbsp; Ativalu Lisati</p> <p>13.&nbsp; Trent Loiero</p> <p>14.&nbsp; Tyran Wishart</p> <p>15.&nbsp; Jack Hetherington</p> <p>16.&nbsp; Davvy Moale</p> <p>17.&nbsp; Tui Kamikamica</p>