Jesse Bromwich was nearly mistaken for a spy the first time he came to Melbourne Storm.
The Club’s NYC side was completing a training session one afternoon when Under-20s mentor and current Parramatta coach Brad Arthur spotted someone watching from the sidelines.
Suspicious at first, Arthur asked around before Kenny Bromwich vouched for the stranger as his older brother Jesse.
A good-sized teen who was playing footy at the time in rural NSW, Arthur decided to invite Bromwich to take part in the training session.
He was soon welcomed back and before long the 20-year-old was signing a playing contract.
Seven years later and Jesse Bromwich is now preparing to play his 150th game for the Club on Saturday night.
Be at AAMI Park when we take on the Roosters, Saturday 23 July, 7:30pm.
It has been an incredible journey for the Kiwi big man who has missed just one NRL game since 2012.
“He has lifted himself up to be one of the best front rowers in our game, if not the world,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.
“It is a really proud moment for him, his family and his mum and dad… it is an important week for him and it’s an important week for our club.
“We are always proud of those guy who come through our system and go on to play big milestone games. He’s reached 150 and still got plenty ahead of him.”
Since becoming a star of the game, Bromwich was promoted to the Club’s leadership group at the start of the season and was named captain of New Zealand in May.
His rise to the top has not been typical of the modern day footballer but that fits Bromwich perfectly.
“I think that suits Jess well. He has a bit of old-time about him, he’s got some old-fashioned values, especially about his footy and I really like that in him,” Bellamy said.
“He doesn’t say too much but he let’s his actions do the speaking for him. He is probably a little embarrassed this week about the publicity he’s getting, he is that sort of guy but as I said earlier we are all really proud of him.
“Not just because it is his 150th this week but because what he does for our club. It is a wonderful milestone for him.”
