Daly Cherry-Evans' Storm Team Fights for Survival with Rookie Halfback

Daly Cherry-Evans' Melbourne Storm team is in a desperate fight for survival, and they've called on rookie halfback Toelau to help them out.

What happened?

Toelau has only started in the No.7 jersey once in his 20-game career, playing halfback for Penrith in round four of the 2025 season. His other five starts have come at hooker, including four since joining the Storm this season. With Cameron Munster sidelined after knee surgery and Jahrome Hughes troubled by hamstring soreness, Melbourne had little choice but to call on 26-year-old Toelau to partner Tyran Wishart in the halves.

Why it matters for Daly Cherry-Evans

Bellamy said Victorian junior Toelau, who was a standout in the Storm pathway system before two seasons with the Panthers, was a "smart" footballer. "He's a very smart player, he's got a good kicking game, he's a good defender," the coach said ahead of their final training run. "We haven't seen a whole leap of him in halves down here, probably more of a dummy-half, but he's just a solid player and he just knows what his strengths are.

What comes next?

"We want them (Toelau and Wishart) to play their best games as individuals, but just to stick to the game plan and that's all we expect," Bellamy said. The Storm must win to stay in the top eight, but Hughes' hamstring soreness is a major concern. Bellamy was hopeful Test star Hughes would only miss the one week and return for their round-21 clash with South Sydney.

The Storm's chances of making the finals are slim, but they're not giving up yet. They face the three top-eight teams, including ladder leaders Penrith, in the final rounds, and they'll need to win at least two of those games to stay in the hunt.

The stakes are high

Hughes himself didn't sound too certain, which would be a massive blow with the 10th-placed Storm still to face the three top-eight teams in the final rounds. The Storm must win to stay in the top eight, but Hughes' hamstring soreness is a major concern.

The Storm's final round of matches will be a nail-biting affair, with the team needing to win at least two of their three games to stay in the hunt for the finals. Daly Cherry-Evans and his teammates will be giving it their all to make it happen.

category: club_news