Storm Six to join Bears in NSW Cup Grand Final

A contingent of six Melbourne Storm players are ready to take full flight for North Sydney Bears this weekend in the NSW Cup Grand Final.

Dean Ieremia, Bronson Garlick, Tepai Moeroa, Joe Chan, Ativalu Lisati and Sua Fa’alogo will all line up in Bears colours hoping to taste premiership success when they face the Newtown Jets at CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Bears joined the Storm feeder program in 2024 alongside existing feeder clubs, the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Brisbane Easts who both have long relationships with the club.

Storm General Manager Football, Frank Ponissi, said the partnership with the Bears had been a great success in its first season.

“Everyone at the Bears has been very welcoming and accommodating with our players this season,” Ponissi said.

“While we’ve had a partnership with Easts and the Falcons for a few years now, the Bears have given us another avenue to develop our players and we couldn’t be happier with the results.”

All six Storm players have been strong contributors for the Bears at various stages across the season and all have also featured at NRL level in the Storm jersey in 2024. Victorian born outside back Dean Ieremia has made the most appearances for North Sydney, scoring eight tries from his 19 appearances.

Joe Chan will be playing for his second consecutive state league Grand Final having lifted the trophy last season with Brisbane Easts after they won the Queensland Cup.

“We feel really lucky to have had a partnership with all three feeder clubs this season and the results are showing for both our Club and theirs,” Ponissi said.

“While Easts didn’t have the season they were hoping, both the Falcons and Bears have tasted finals in 2024, and we hope our boys can help lift that trophy on Sunday.”

The Bears and Jets met two weeks ago in the Major Semi Final where the Bears secured a 18-16 win. The winner of Sunday’s NSW Cup Grand Final will play Queensland Cup winners, Norths Devils, in the 2024 State Championship at Accor Stadium on NRL Grand Final day.

Storm fans can watch the NSW Cup grand final on 9 Now (www.9now.com.au) or NSWRL TV (www.nswrl.tv).