2000 Melbourne Storm season

The 2000 Melbourne Storm season was the third in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2000 Premiership and finished the regular season in sixth place, being eliminated in the first week of the finals.^[1]

The Storm began 2000 with an easy win over St. Helens in the World Club Challenge. It was a great start for Melbourne, but overall the 2000 season was a disappointment. Major injuries to Marcus Bai and Robbie Ross, along with a lengthy suspension to Stephen Kearney, seriously disrupted the season.

It was made worse when the club was forced to negotiate its way through the trials and tribulations of 12 players coming off contract by the end of the year. Most distracting was the contractual saga of Brett Kimmorley as he travelled between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in search of his future (much to the bewilderment of the Victorian public who were not used to rugby league's mid-season mayhem).

With respectable home crowds averaging over 14,000 the Storm finished the 2000 season in sixth place, earning themselves a semi-final against the Newcastle Knights in Newcastle. However, the defending premiers exited with a 30–16 loss on a wet and miserable afternoon. The season's undoubted highlight was the grand final rematch against the Dragons at the MCG where the Storm won by an incredible scoreline of 70–10.

Tony Martin (to London) and Brett Kimmorley (to Northern Eagles) were key losses for the club in the lead up to 2001 which were slightly off-set by the arrival of half-back Matt Orford and winger Junior Langi.^[2]

• Pre Season – 1999 NRL Grand Final winger Craig Smith announces his retirement.
• 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.
• 7 February – Team manager Mick Moore dies in tragic circumstances in Auckland on the evening after Melbourne's 2000 NRL season opening loss against Auckland Warriors. Moore was socialising with team officials when he fell from a wharf. Moore's funeral is held in Brisbane on 10 February.
• 25 February – Coach Chris Anderson is reappointed Kangaroos coach for 2000.
• 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."^[3]
• 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 statement 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."^[3]
• 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. 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. Glenn Lazarus parades the NRL premiership trophy before the game, having retired at the end of the 1999 season.
• Round 6 – A second successive first half blitz sees Melbourne lead 30–0 against Sydney Roosters, before going on to win 42–10.
• 9 March – Chris Anderson signs a new three-year contract to stay with Melbourne.
• Round 7 – Marcus Bai suffers a serious arm laceration in a collision with the advertising signage at Olympic Park.
• Round 8 – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks forward Jason Stevens accuses Ben Roarty of biting him during the game. NRL Judiciary Commissioner Jim Hall later dismisses the charge due to a lack of evidence after Stevens refuses to advance with the allegations.
• 16 April – Chairman John Ribot tells the media that the absence of a fixed schedule of matches costs each club in excess of $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.^[3]
• 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.^[4]
• 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.^[3]
• 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.^[5]
• 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."^[3] In a unique milestone, Danny Williams becomes the first player to register 100 games off the interchange bench in Australian rugby league history.^[6]
• 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.^[3][4]
• 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.^[7]
• 28 August – It is revealed that Melbourne and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs plan to play their first match of the 2001 season in Hong Kong.^[3]
• 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.

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. 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.

Date	Rd	Opponent	Venue	Result	Mel.	Opp.	Tries	Goals	Field goals	Ref
14 January	Trial	Brisbane Broncos	Athletic Oval, Toowoomba	Lost	18	38	M Dux, G McKellar, F Moala	B Watts 2/2, T Lasea 1/1		[8]

2000 World Club Challenge

Saturday, 22 January 18:00 GMT (UTC+0)

St. Helens	6 – 44	Melbourne Storm
Tries: 1 Hoppe  72' Goals: 1 Long  pen 20' (1/2)	1st: 2–20 2nd: 4–24 Report	Tries: 8 Hill  39', 57' Ross  66', 75' Moule  5' Evans  11' Bai  30' Morgan  50' Goals: 6 Watts  11', 40', 51', 57', 66', 75' (6/8)

JJB Stadium, Wigan Attendance: 13,394 Referee: Stuart Cummings Player of the Match: Brett Kimmorley

Date	Rd	Opponent	Venue	Result	Mel.	Opp.	Tries	Goals	Field goals	Ref
6 February	1	Auckland Warriors	Erisson Stadium, Auckland	Lost	6	14	S Hill	B Watts 1/2		[9]
12 February	2	Newcastle Knights	Marathon Stadium, Newcastle	Lost	6	38	R Bawden	M Geyer 1/1		[10]
19 February	3	Canberra Raiders	Bruce Stadium, Canberra	Lost	12	16	M Geyer, R Ross	M Geyer 1/2, T Lavea 1/1		[11]
19 February	4	Penrith Panthers	Penrith Stadium, Sydney	Lost	22	30	B Roarty (2), M Bai, S Kearney, A Moule	T Lavea 1/5		[12]
3 March	5	St George Illawarra Dragons	MCG, Melbourne	Won	70	10	B Kimmorley (2), T Lavea (2), R Ross (2), M Bai, S Hill, A Moule, B Roarty, R Swain, D Williams	T Lavea 8/9, M Geyer 3/3		[13]
10 March	6	Sydney Roosters	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	42	10	M Bai (2), T Martin (2), A Moule (2), R Ross (2)	T Lavea 5/8		[14]
18 March	7	Parramatta Eels	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	16	12	A Moule, R Ross, M Rua	T Lavea 2/4		[15]
25 March	8	Cronulla Sharks	Toyota Park, Sydney	Lost	14	26	S Hill, R Kearns, B Kimmorley	T Lavea 1/3		[16]
1 April	9	North Queensland Cowboys	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	28	6	A Moule (2), R Kearns, B Kimmorley, M Rua	T Lavea 4/8		[17]
7 April	10	Brisbane Broncos	ANZ Stadium, Brisbane	Draw	18	18	B Kimmorley, T Lavea, R Ross	T Lavea 3/4		[18]
15 April	11	Northern Eagles	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	44	18	M Geyer (3), T Lavea (2), R Bawden, S Kearney, R Ross	T Lavea 5/6, M Geyer 1/2		[19]
25 April	12	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Stadium Australia, Sydney	Won	22	44	M Geyer, S Hill, S Kearney, P Marquet, T Martin, A Moule, B Roarty, R Ross	T Lavea 6/8		[20]
30 April	13	Newcastle Knights	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	40	4	B Kimmorley (3), M Geyer (2), A Moule, B Roarty	T Lavea 6/9		[21]
5 May	14	Parramatta Eels	Parramatta Stadium, Sydney	Lost	8	18	F Moala	B Watts 2/3		[22]
12 May	15	Wests Tigers	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	40	10	T Lavea (2), M Bai, M Geyer, B Kimmorley, M Rua, B Watts	T Lavea 6/7		[23]
21 May	16	Brisbane Broncos	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	16	12	P Marquet, F Moala, P Robinson	T Lavea 2/6		[24]
27 May	17	Penrith Panthers	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Lost	20	23	B Kimmorley, M Rua, B Watts, D Williams	T Lavea 2/4		[25]
4 June	18	St George Illawarra Dragons	WIN Stadium, Wollongong	Lost	4	50	T Martin	M Geyer 0/1		[26]
11 June	19	Sydney Roosters	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney	Lost	6	41	M Bai	T Lavea 1/1		[27]
18 June	20	Auckland Warriors	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Won	56	10	M Geyer (4), R Bawden (2), D Williams (2), M Bai, R Howe	T Lavea 8/10		[28]
24 June	21	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	MCG, Melbourne	Won	22	16	M Bai, B Kimmorley, F Moala, B Watts	T Lavea 3/5		[29]
1 July	22	North Queensland Cowboys	Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville	Won	26	22	R Bawden, M Geyer, A Moule, D Williams	T Lavea 5/6		[30]
8 July	23	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Lost	22	31	M Geyer, S Hill, F Moala, B Roarty	T Lavea 3/6		[31]
15 July	24	Northern Eagles	NorthPower Stadium, Gosford	Won	38	26	M Bai (3), B Watts (2), S Hill, B Kimmorley	B Watts 5/8		[32]
21 July	25	Canberra Raiders	Olympic Park, Melbourne	Lost	16	20	M Bai, A Moule, M Rua	B Watts 2/4		[33]
29 July	26	Wests Tigers	Campbelltown Stadium, Sydney	Won	36	26	A Moule (2), M Bai, R Bawden, S Kearney, T Martin	T Lavea 6/9		[34]

Source:^[35]

Qualifying final

Saturday, 5 August 14:40 AEST (UTC+10)

Newcastle Knights	30 – 16	Melbourne Storm
Tries: 5 Hughes  22' Gidley  48' McDougall  58' Buderus  66' Tahu  72' Goals: 5 A Johns  pen 18', 23', 49', 59', 67' (5/7)	1st: 8–10 2nd: 22–6 Report	Tries: 2 Martin  40' Kimmorley  79' Goals: 4 Lavea  pen 30', 40', 80' (3/3) Watts  pen 2' (1/1)

Marathon Stadium, Newcastle Attendance: 20,597 Referee: Tim Mander

2000 NRL season v t e
Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Brisbane Broncos (P)	26	18	2	6	696	388	+308	38
2	Sydney Roosters	26	16	0	10	601	520	+81	32
3	Newcastle Knights	26	15	1	10	686	532	+154	31
4	Canberra Raiders	26	15	0	11	506	479	+27	30
5	Penrith Panthers	26	15	0	11	573	562	+11	30
6	Melbourne Storm	26	14	1	11	672	529	+143	29
7	Parramatta Eels	26	14	1	11	476	456	+20	29
8	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	26	13	0	13	570	463	+107	26
9	St George Illawarra Dragons	26	12	0	14	576	656	-80	24
10	Wests Tigers	26	11	2	13	519	642	-123	24
11	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	26	10	1	15	469	553	-84	21
12	Northern Eagles	26	9	0	17	476	628	-152	18
13	Auckland Warriors	26	8	2	16	426	662	-236	18
14	North Queensland Cowboys	26	7	0	19	436	612	-176	121

¹ North Queensland were stripped of 2 competition points due to a breach of the interchange rule in Round 4.

• 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^[36][37]

Cap [b]	Nat.	Player name	Position	First Storm Game	Previous First Grade RL club [c]
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	–
-		Tai Lavea	FB	Yet to Debut	Melbourne Storm
-		Setariki Rakabula	CE	Yet to Debut	Melbourne Storm
-		Mark Shillington	–	Yet to Debut	–

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:^[39][40]

Most points in a game: 24 points

• Round 5 – Tasesa Lavea (2 tries, 8 Goals) vs St George Illawarra Dragons

Most tries in a game: 4 ^[f]

• Round 20 – Matt Geyer vs Auckland Warriors

Highest score in a winning game: 70 points ^[g]

• Round 5 vs St George Illawarra Dragons

Lowest score in a winning game: 16 points

• Round 7 vs Parramatta Eels
• Round 16 vs Brisbane Broncos

Greatest winning margin: 60 points ^[g]

• Round 5 vs St George Illawarra Dragons

Greatest number of games won consecutively: 3

• Round 5 – Round 7
• Round 11 – Round 13
• Round 20 – Round 22

Highest score in a losing game: 22 points

• Round 4 vs Penrith Panthers
• Round 23 vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Lowest score in a losing game: 4 points ^[f]

• Round 18 vs St George Illawarra Dragons

Greatest losing margin: 46 points ^[g]

• Round 18 vs St George Illawarra Dragons

Greatest number of games lost consecutively: 4 ^[g]

• Round 1 – Round 4

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.

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