2000 Melbourne Storm season

• Preseason – 1999 NRL Grand Final winger Craig Smith announces his retirement. When the season draw was announced, it was revealed that Melbourne were denied access to the new Colonial Stadium to play their first home match of the season in round 5, a rematch against the St George Illawarra Dragons.^[3] The match is eventually scheduled to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after an offer had been made to host the match at Stadium Australia, the site of the 1999 Grand Final.^[4] New recruit Setariki Rakabula was injured in a cycling accident during the preseason, injurying his collar bone and elbow during a team bike ride.^[5] The club signed former North Queensland Cowboys forward John Lomax on a one-year contract as a replacement for the retired Glenn Lazarus.^[6]
• 14 January – In the club's only trial match before heading to England for the World Club Challenge, an inexperienced Melbourne team lost 36–18 against the Brisbane Broncos at Toowoomba. Both Scott Hill and Robbie Kearns returned from injury in the match, played in front of over 6,000 fans.^[7]
• 21 January – Melbourne appoint Robbie Kearns as club captain, following the retirement of inaugural captain Glenn Lazarus and the departure of vice-captain Tawera Nikau. Kearns quoted as saying "I am just the guy who gets the 'c' next to my name in the program, but it is something I am honored to have."^[8]
• World Club Challenge – Melbourne thrash St Helens 44–6 in frigid conditions. Robbie Kearns captains the team, while Dane Morgan scores a try in his first official game for the club. Halfback Brett Kimmorley wins the man of the match award. Melbourne led 20–2 at half time, with Robbie Ross and Scott Hill each scoring their second tries of the match in the second half.^[9] St Helens player Tommy Martyn lodged a complaint that he had been eye gouged in a tackle by Danny Williams and Morgan, but neither player was subsequently charged.^[10] Despite the scoreline, St Helens coach Ellery Hanley insisted Melbourne "were no better than us at all. They didn't do anything spectacular to beat us. We let ourselves down with our defence." Melbourne coach Chris Anderson was happy with the result, but said "I would have liked a harder hitout. I was after something a little more competitive. But our blokes were great tonight."^[11][12]
• 3 February – The NRL fine Melbourne A$30,000 for a minor breach of the league's salary cap, with CEO Chris Johns saying after the NRL's audit "we had probably one of the most thorough investigations I have ever seen. We were a smidgen over, but we are still talking to them at the moment to clarify a few issues. We still think we might be able to squeeze under the cap if they agree to the way we have arrived at our calculations."^[13][14]
• Round 1 – Melbourne lose their season opener against the Auckland Warriors 14–6, with Robbie Kearns suggesting the team "were just too full of confidence from last year's [premiership] win I think," while Brett Kimmorley saying "there was a bit of cockiness. We weren't ready to play. We weren't ready to do any hard work. There was nobody prepared to do anything hard. The first 40 minutes were just rubbish."^[15]
• 7 February – Team manager Mick Moore dies in tragic circumstances in Auckland on the evening after Melbourne's loss against the Auckland Warriors. Moore was socialising with team officials when he fell from a wharf.^[16][17] Moore's funeral is held in Brisbane on 10 February.^[18][19]
• Round 2 – Melbourne suffer a 38–6 loss against the Newcastle Knights, eclipsing the club's heaviest defeat. The Storm conceded seven tries before scoring a late try when Russell Bawden finished off a passing play from Brett Kimmorley.^[20]
• Round 3 – Melbourne lose three matches in a row for the first time in club history, losing 16–12 to the Canberra Raiders, despite an improved performance in the second half after falling behind 8–2 at half time.^[21] The defeat had Melbourne placed last on the NRL ladder.^[22]
• 25 February – Coach Chris Anderson is reappointed Kangaroos coach for 2000.^[23]
• Round 4 – Storm lose their fourth match in a row, again struggling in the first half of their match against Penrith.^[24] Down 18–8 at half time, Melbourne got within two points in the second half, before the Panthers steadied to win 30–22.^[25] A frustrated Chris Anderson saying "it was the dumbest loss we've ever had."^[26] Rookie goalkicker Tasesa Lavea missed his first four shots at goal in the loss, finally landing his first goal on his fifth attempt after the fulltime siren.^[27] The loss, combined with North Queensland's first win of the season, left the Storm anchored at the bottom of the NRL ladder.^[28]
• 29 February – St George Illawarra Dragons' five-eighth Anthony Mundine trash talks Melbourne ahead of the 1999 Grand Final rematch at the MCG by declaring "I don't feel the Storm deserved to win the grand final."^[29][30]
• 3 March – In a further provocation, Mundine writes in a weekly newspaper column that "I think they (the Storm) are nothing but pretenders. Many critics are saying some of the statements I make do nothing but fire up the opposition. That's exactly what I want to do. I don't want Melbourne to come up with any excuses. I want them to be at their best. I want them to be fired up and I want St George Illawarra to crush them because nothing is sweeter than revenge."^[29][31]
• Round 5 – Snapping a four-game losing streak to start the season, Melbourne humiliate St George Illawarra 70–10 at the MCG in a stunning rebuttal against Anthony Mundine.^[32] The 70 points sets a new club record, and the 60-point margin also is a new club record. Melbourne became only the fourth team in Australian rugby league history to score 70+ points. Despite heavy rain, the attendance of 23,239 was also the highest for a Storm match in Melbourne.^[33] Glenn Lazarus parades the NRL premiership trophy before the game, having retired at the end of the 1999 season. Fullback Robbie Ross played his 100th match, scoring two tries in the victory.^[34][35] Tasesa Lavea scored 24 points in the match from two tries and eight goals.^[36]
• 9 March – Chris Anderson signs a new contract to stay with Melbourne until the end of the 2002 season.^[37][38]
• Round 6 – A second successive first half blitz sees Melbourne lead 30–0 against Sydney Roosters, before going on to win 42–10. The Storm opened the scoring in the third minute when Robbie Ross crunched Sydney Roosters halfback Adrian Lam with a shoulder charge, gathering the loose ball to pass to Marcus Bai, with the winger able to pass back inside for Ross to score the try.^{[39][40][41][42]}
• Round 7 – Marcus Bai suffers a serious arm laceration in a collision with the advertising signage at Olympic Park. Bai was rushed to hospital as a result of the incident with the cut deep enough to expose bone. John Lomax made his first appearance for the Storm in the match, coming into the team as a late change in place of Danny Williams. Melbourne came from 12–4 down at half time to take the win against Parramatta, when Scott Hill set up a try to Robbie Ross late in the match.^[43] In the lead-up to the fixture, it was thought that the match would either have to be rescheduled or moved with Olympic Park double-booked with the Little Athletics Australia state championships. That issue was only resolved when the athletics carnival agreed to finish earlier, with the Storm match rescheduled to start an hour later than normal.^[44][45] The injury to Bai kept him out of the Storm squad until the middle of the season, after an initial prognosis of six weeks.^[46] It is later revealed that a protective rubber coating was missing from the signage that caused the injury.^[47]
• Round 8 – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks forward Jason Stevens accuses Ben Roarty of biting him during the match. Three players, including Storm forwards Stephen Kearney and Rodney Howe were sent to the sin bin by referee Bill Harrigan following an all-in brawl at a scrum in the second half. Cronulla won the match 24–16, with Melbourne unable to win their first away match for the season.^[48] NRL Judiciary Commissioner Jim Hall later dismisses the biting charge against Roarty due to a lack of evidence after Stevens refuses to advance with the allegations.^[49]Roarty vehemently denied the claim by Stevens.^[50]
• Round 9 – Melbourne maintained its unbeaten record in Victoria for the season, beating North Queensland 28–6, holding the visitors scoreless in the second half.^[51]
• Round 10 – A converted try midway through the second half by the Brisbane Broncos levelled the scores at 18–all in their match against Melbourne at ANZ Stadium. A missed penalty goal by Tasesa Lavea and missed field goal attempts in the final five minutes saw the teams deadlocked at full time. The draw was Melbourne's first since the 1998 season.^[52][53]
• 16 April – Chairman John Ribot tells the media that the absence of a fixed schedule of matches costs each club in excess of A$4m annually.
• 12 May – Fullback Robbie Ross is ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
• Round 14 – Missing 11 players through Origin selection and injury, Melbourne hand debuts to a number of players, including drafting in Brook Martin from Queensland Cup team Easts Tigers.
• Round 15 – Stephen Kearney and Marcus Bai are placed on report for a dangerous spear tackle on Wests Tigers forward Jarrod McCracken. The tackle inflicts a serious neck injury on McCracken. Kearney is later suspended for eight matches, with Bai receiving a one match suspension, after pleading guilty at the NRL Judiciary.^[29]
• Round 16 – Again depleted by Origin selection, Melbourne score a famous last-second win of 16–12 over a similarly depleted Brisbane Broncos. Halfback Kevin Carmichael threw the final pass to Peter Robinson to score a try next to the posts, in what fans dubbed the Norths Devils win over the Toowoomba Clydesdales after both teams' feeder clubs in the Queensland Cup competition.^[54]
• 28 May – Despite being under contract, it is reported in The Sun-Herald that Melbourne has granted Brett Kimmorley permission to negotiate with rival clubs.^[29]
• 4 June – Marcus Bai signs a new three-year deal to stay with Melbourne.
• Round 18 – St George Illawarra inflict Melbourne's worst defeat and highest score conceded, thrashing Storm 50–4 in Wollongong. The reversal of fortunes coming just 13 weeks after the 70–10 game at the MCG. Melbourne again were missing a number of players due to Origin selection.
• Round 20 – Matt Geyer equals his own club record with four tries in a game, as Melbourne thrash Auckland 56–10 to win the Michael Moore Trophy.^[55]
• 26 June – Centre Tony Martin announces he will be leaving Melbourne at the end of the 2000 season to play with the London Broncos.
• 4 July – Coach Chris Anderson accuses Brett Kimmorley of betrayal after Kimmorley announces he has signed a two-year deal with Northern Eagles.
• Round 23 – Days after the death of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs patriarch Peter "Bullfrog" Moore the father-in-law of both coaches; Melbourne lose to Canterbury 22–31 in what Chris Anderson called the "worst performance in the three years we've been here."^[29] In a unique milestone, Danny Williams becomes the first player to register 100 games off the interchange bench in Australian rugby league history.^[56]
• Round 24 – Rodney Howe becomes the first Melbourne player to be sent off. Howe is sent from the field for a high tackle on Geoff Toovey by referee Sean Hampstead, but has the charges dropped by the NRL Judiciary.^[29][54]
• 19 July – Matt Geyer rejects contract offers from Northern Eagles to re-sign with Melbourne.
• 26 July – Northern Eagles halfback Matt Orford signs a two-year contract with Melbourne to replace Brett Kimmorley for the 2001 season.
• Round 26 – Melbourne secure sixth spot on the NRL ladder with a 36–26 win over Wests Tigers. In the first meeting between the teams since the spear tackle incident earlier in the season, Stephen Kearney is jeered by the Tigers' fans, but scores a late try to give Storm the lead. Wests Tigers Wing John Hopoate is cited in the match for contrary conduct relating to 10 separate incidents, including a head slam tackle on Scott Hill.
• 5 August – Robbie Ross signs a four-year contract to stay with the club.
• Qualifying Final – Melbourne are defeated by Newcastle Knights 30–16 at a packed Marathon Stadium. Melbourne are then eliminated from the finals after seventh placed Parramatta Eels beat Sydney Roosters under the McIntyre final eight system. The result happens as Storm are on their flight back to Melbourne.
• 9 August – Brett Kimmorley is named Rugby League Week's player of the year.
• 16 August – Wayne Evans is released by the club as midseason signing Brenton Pomery is signed for the 2001 season.^[57]
• 28 August – It is revealed that Melbourne and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs plan to play their first match of the 2001 season in Hong Kong.^[29]
• 24 September – Paul Marquet announces he has signed a one-year contract to return to Newcastle Knights.
• 3 November – Melbourne strike a deal with Colonial Stadium management to play all 2001 season home games at the venue, leaving Olympic Park. Plans to play the club's opening game in Hong Kong are cancelled.
• 19 December – Adecco sign a three-year $4m sponsorship agreement with Melbourne to have their logo on the front of Storm jerseys beginning with the 2001 season.

Jerseys

Melbourne's jerseys were again manufactured by Fila and carried the same designs as the 1999 home and away jerseys. A special "Millennium" jersey design was worn in the 2000 World Club Challenge and again in round 5 against St George Illawarra Dragons.^[58] Using the home design as a template, the jersey featured reflective silver thunderbolts. The gold away jersey was only worn in rounds 19, 22, and 26.

• Head coach: Chris Anderson
• Assistant coaches: Greg Brentnall & Steve Anderson
• Physiotherapist: Greg Gibson
• Head trainer: Steve Litvensky
• Strength and conditioning Coach: Aaron Salisbury

List current as of 4 August 2021^[87][88]

More information Cap, Nat. ...

Cap[a]	Nat.	Player name	Position	First Storm Game	Previous First Grade RL club[b]
1		Robbie Ross	FB	1998	Hunter Mariners
3		Aaron Moule	WG, CE	1998	South Queensland Crushers
5		Marcus Bai	WG	1998	Gold Coast Chargers
6		Scott Hill	FE	1998	Hunter Mariners
7		Brett Kimmorley	HB	1998	Hunter Mariners
8		Rodney Howe	PR	1998	Perth Reds
9		Danny Williams	LK, SR, HK	1998	North Sydney Bears
10		Robbie Kearns	PR	1998	Perth Reds
11		Paul Marquet	PR, SR	1998	Hunter Mariners
12		Ben Roarty	PR, SR, LK	1998	Melbourne Storm
15		Richard Swain	HK	1998	Hunter Mariners
16		Russell Bawden	PR	1998	Brisbane Broncos
18		Matt Geyer	WG	1998	Perth Reds
19		Wayne Evans	SR	1998	Perth Reds
21		Tony Martin	WG, CE	1998	London Broncos
23		Wade Fenton	SR, PR	1998	Melbourne Storm
26		Matt Rua	PR, SR	1998	Melbourne Storm
28		Stephen Kearney	SR	1999	New Zealand Warriors
30		Tasesa Lavea	FE	1999	Melbourne Storm
31		Brad Watts	FB	1999	Melbourne Storm
32		Brett O'Farrell	PR	1999	Melbourne Storm
33		John Lomax	PR	2000	North Queensland Cowboys
34		Fifita Moala	WG	2000	Melbourne Storm
35		Brook Martin	WG	2000	Melbourne Storm
36		Kevin Carmichael	HB	2000	South Queensland Crushers
37		Glen Turner	SR	2000	Melbourne Storm
38		Peter Robinson	SR	2000	Melbourne Storm
39		Dane Morgan	SR	2000	North Sydney Bears
40		Chris Essex	PR	2000	Melbourne Storm
41		Brenton Pomery	PR	2000	Wests Tigers
-		Caan Chase	–	Yet to Debut	–
-		Matthew Dux	WG	Yet to Debut	Melbourne Storm
-		Tai Lavea	FB	Yet to Debut	Melbourne Storm
-		Setariki Rakabula	CE	Yet to Debut	Melbourne Storm
-		Mark Shillington	–	Yet to Debut	–

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This table lists all players who have played a representative match in 2000.

This table contains playing statistics for all Melbourne Storm players to have played in the 2000 NRL season.

• Statistics sources:^[91][92]

Melbourne Storm reserve players again travelled to Brisbane each week to play with Queensland Cup team Norths Devils. Making the finals for the third straight season, Norths Devils finished fifth and were eliminated in the first week of the 2000 Queensland Cup finals. Steven Bell won the Devils player of the year award, earning himself a contract with Melbourne for the 2001 season.

More information Pos, Team ...

2000 Queensland Cup
Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
5	Norths Devils	22	13	1	8	589	484	+105	27

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