Still hurting from his side's grand final defeat, Shawn Blore is hoping the arrival of close mate Stefano Utoikamanu in Melbourne can help the Storm go one better in 2025.
Blore enjoyed a breakout season under the guidance of Craig Bellamy but the back-rower was powerless to stop his junior club Penrith claiming a fourth-straight premiership with a 14-6 grand final win.
Melbourne's forwards were bashed and bullied out of the game and the absence of Nelson Asofa-Solomona was glaringly obvious as Penrith won the battle for territory and possession.
Asofa-Solomona's return next season will be complemented by the arrival of Utoikamanu, a former teammate of Blore's at Wests Tigers.
Melbourne tend to back their feeder clubs as a breeding ground for players but the acquisition of one-time NSW State of Origin prop Utoikamanu is a sign of intent that they want to wrestle the NRL premiership back from the Panthers.
"To make it this far and be minor premiers, I'm sure Stefano is really excited to be here," Blore said.
"I'm really excited to have him and I'm ready to rip into that pre-season with him.
"I had a lot to do with him and he knows the stories of how that pre-season is going to be tough.
Blore indicated he was likely to be part of Samoa's tour to England later this month and his view that the Storm are going to be back bigger and better next year was echoed by Cameron Munster.
The five-eighth, who was cleared of a biting allegation on Monday, said he hoped Melbourne could use the defeat to Penrith as fuel to ensure they win an elusive first premiership of the post-Cameron Smith era.
"They've been very fortunate to get four in a row and there's a saying that you've got to lose one to win one," Munster said.
"I've been in my fair share of losing them and my fair share of winning them.
"We lost, but we'll be back with the squad that we have got.
"We get Stefano next year and get big Nelson back - I really feel for him after what happened last week with the Roosters - so we'll have a big, hard working pack.
"We've got to go again and we won't be given it because you have to earn it.
"We know we deserved to be in the grand final but we just didn't earn it. Those boys in their first grand final will be better for the run but it does hurt at the moment."
