Melbourne Storm's 2006 NRL pre-season games

Melbourne Storm has three pre-season trial games organised for the 2006 season, two against the Parramatta Eels and one against the Brisbane Broncos.

The first game against Parramatta in Ballina will be the Storm’s first pre-season game. Coach Craig Bellamy has indicated he will select his best team for the opening trial game of the year.

The second game against the Eels will be a clash between the young guns from each club. For the Storm, the squad will be made up of all the young players who have trained with the first grade squad over the summer, as well as other older players who did not feature in the first game. Ben Cross will also play in this game.

The final pre-season game against the Broncos will also feature a full strength Melbourne Storm team. Bellamy considers this to be a vital game in his preparations for the 2006 season as it is the final game before the Round one clash against the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland.

vs Parramatta Eels
Date: Saturday, February 11
Location: Ballina, NSW

vs Parramatta Eels (Young guns)
Date: Saturday, February 18
Location: Griffith, NSW

vs Brisbane Broncos
Date: Saturday, February 25
Location: Toowoomba, NSW

In other news from the Storm;

Mark Burgess, former multiple Australian amateur boxing champion, world police boxing champion and current fitness trainer for the Brisbane Lions, is in Melbourne this week to put the Storm squad through their paces, particularly the younger players who will have to step in the ring with the boxing champ.

Along with sparring with the squad’s younger members, the former policeman will take the entire NRL squad through many various cross-training drills.

Storm strength and conditioning coach Alex Corvo believes Burgess brings something positive to the training sessions.

“He brings a different face and voice to the sessions,” said Corvo.

“He has great enthusiasm to keeping fit. He’s a non-drinker who is super disciplined with his diet and training.”