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. “Storm’s Pain, Eels’ Gain: Blockbuster Transfers Shake Up NRL Landscape!”
The Melbourne Storm have lost emerging outside back Grant Anderson to the Broncos from next season, while Parramatta have agreed a deal to bring former State of Origin forward Jack de Belin to the club in 2026 – moves that have both divided NRL fans. Anderson’s signing had been expected for some time, but confirmation of his two-year deal with the Broncos on Wednesday leaves Selwyn Cobbo’s future in Brisbane in further doubt.
Brisbane have recently handed extensions to Cobbo’s replacement on the wing, Josiah Karapani, as well as captain Adam Reynolds, Kotoni Staggs and Blake Mozer. And it means the club is only able to offer the off-contract Cobbo a deal worth around $300,000 per season, fuelling rumblings of an exit for the former Origin star, who is currently on around $650,000 per year.
The Broncos’ acquisition of Anderson will leave Michael Maguire’s side with the Storm star, Karapani, Jesse Arthars, Staggs, Deine Mariner and Gehamat Shibasaki as impressive backline options for 2026, leaving Cobbo looking increasingly surplus to requirements. Anderson has been in superb form for Melbourne this season and has benefited from an extended run in Craig Bellamy’s starting side due to winger Will Warbrick’s lenghty absence.
Warbrick hasn’t featured for the Storm since round four as he continues to recover from concussion symptoms. And Anderson has stepped up in the Kiwi international’s absence, scoring 10 tries in 12 games and averaging 142 running metres.
The Storm do have a plethora of talented outside backs at their disposal with the likes of Origin winger Xavier Coates, Jack Howarth and Sua Fa’alogo, but fans are still upset that Anderson is leaving. There’s a feeling that the club might have acted prematurely in allowing him to leave, and might be regretting the choice considering his emergence in 2025.
