As the Melbourne Storm fight to snap a three-match losing skid marked by defensive collapse, an unexpected recruitment rumor has emerged: the NRL club is setting its sights on premiership-winning Brisbane Broncos centre Gehamat Shibasaki to fill key 2027 roster gaps.
Storm head coach Craig Bellamy admitted he had no prior warning of the reported club interest when questioned by reporters on Friday morning, but a playful quick quip revealed he would jump at the chance to add the representative-level talent to his squad immediately. The potential move to lure Shibasaki to Melbourne is slated to be formally discussed during a scheduled recruitment meeting set for Friday afternoon, Bellamy confirmed.
Shibasaki, who has become one of the league’s most in-demand young outside backs after breakout seasons with the Broncos, earned his first representative caps for both Queensland and Australia in 2024, and helped lead Brisbane to a premiership title last year. His current contract with the Broncos is up after the 2026 season, and the club already faces an uphill battle to retain his services after his rapid rise to stardom: he is projected to command a substantial salary increase in his next deal, sparking interest from multiple top NRL clubs.
For the Storm, a move for Shibasaki solves a growing 2027 roster problem. The club is already set to lose outside backs Nick Meaney and Will Warbrick to rival clubs in two seasons’ time, and recently missed out on the high-profile signing of St George Illawarra star Zac Lomax, leaving a clear gap in their attacking depth that Shibasaki could fill.
“I don’t actually know about that,” Bellamy told reporters early Friday. “We’re having a recruitment meeting today so I don’t know what’s going to come up there, but I haven’t heard that [the Shibasaki interest].” When pressed on a potential timeline, he joked: “Can he come next week or the week after? Anyone would be welcome at this stage.”
Right now, however, recruitment is a secondary priority for the 2026 Storm. Bellamy’s side is reeling after a brutal two-week stretch that saw them concede a combined 78 points across three straight losses, including a 50-point blowout at the hands of the competition-leading Penrith Panthers last round. Their defensive performance has fallen well short of the club’s typical high standards this season, and Bellamy pulled his squad for a grueling training session earlier this week to address the issue.
The coach pinned the recent slump directly to a lack of individual accountability, rather than systemic problems, saying: “We’re relying on the bloke next to you instead of getting your job done. So there’s a real focus on not worrying about the bloke next to you and just getting your job done.” Bellamy added that he is expecting a marked shift in attitude this week, warning that without a change in approach, the Storm will continue to post underwhelming results.
This weekend presents the Storm with an ideal opportunity to turn their season around, as they prepare to host the New Zealand Warriors in front of a sold-out home crowd. Melbourne holds an extraordinary recent record against the Warriors, having won 17 consecutive matchups against the Auckland-based side. But Bellamy brushed off the historical advantage, noting that past form means nothing for a side that has struggled so badly in recent weeks.
“We’re not worried about what happened five years ago or two years ago,” he said. “We’ve got to get back to reality, and that’s what’s happening now. What’s happening now ain’t good so we need to improve that this week.” Bellamy pointed out that in the two matches before the Panthers defeat, the Storm gave up late leads they should have closed out, before being completely outplayed by Penrith. “You don’t like any of those situations happening, but they have so we’ve got to deal with it. It’s time for everyone to pull their finger out and get their job done.”