Melbourne Storm will welcome another of its former premiership players to its coaching staff with Todd Lowrie to join as the club’s new NRL development coach for season 2023.
Lowrie was part of Storm’s 2012 grand final winning team during his 13-season NRL career which featured a total of 203 games at five different clubs.
His time at Melbourne featured 65 matches across three seasons bookended by two huge victories - his first official game in the purple jersey in the 2010 World Club Challenge against Leeds Rhinos and the 2012 season decider against Canterbury.
Lowrie turned his hand to coaching in his final season as a first grader in 2015, taking control of the Australian Catholic University team in Brisbane before taking up positions with the Newcastle Knights in 2016-18.
His most recent appointment was as coach of the Wests Newcastle first grade team from 2020.
When he officially starts in early January, Lowrie will become the latest of a number of former Storm players during coach Craig Bellamy’s tenure to have gone on to coaching roles at the club including Stephen Kearney, David Kidwell, Jason Ryles, Ryan Hinchcliffe and Matt Duffie.
Storm General Manager – Football Frank Ponissi said Lowrie’s role would focus on guiding the club’s players who play for Hostplus Cup feeder teams Brisbane Tigers and Sunshine Coast Falcons.
Current coaching staff members Marc Brentnall, Ryan Hinchcliffe and Aaron Bellamy will assist head coach Craig Bellamy with overseeing the NRL team each week.
“Todd made a tremendous impression during his three seasons as a player both in his leadership qualities as well as being a very smart player,” Ponissi said.
More importantly, Todd’s character very much fitted the Melbourne Storm values and we believe that he has the potential to be a very good coach at our club.
Frank Ponissi
Todd Lowrie said: “I’m very grateful to get an opportunity to work with Craig and the rest of the coaching staff at Storm who have all been highly successful.
“The club helped shape the man I am today and gave me the best years of my playing career. I am looking forward to assisting the next generation achieve their own success.”
