The Melbourne Storm have reportedly secured the signature of Dolphins second-rower Oryn Keeley from the start of the 2027 NRL season.
The forward had something of a breakout season in 2025, playing 16 games for the Dolphins amid a heavy list of injuries, ensuring the Dolphins virtually never played at full strength in the forwards.
His talent caught the eye of the Melbourne Storm, and reports from News Corp suggest the now 22-year-old has agreed to the club switch for the 2027 season.
Keeley is due to be off-contract at the end of 2026 with the Dolphins and has been able to negotiate with rival clubs since November 1.
The Melbourne Storm reportedly opened dialogue with the Dolphins over the prospect of bringing Keeley to the club immediately, but so far, those advances have been knocked back by the Dolphins, who still see Keeley as a big part of their plans for the coming 12 months.
While the Dolphins will welcome back Tom Gilbert from injury, Keeley will likely still have a role off the bench each week on the edge behind Gilbert and ex-Cowboy Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, who spent his first season at the Redcliffe-based outfit in 2025.
The Storm’s push for second-row talent to join immediately is obvious.
Eliesa Katoa will miss the entirety of the 2026 season after suffering a traumatic head injury while playing for Tonga during the 2026 Pacific Championships, and it was already an area they were looking to upgrade.
Katoa’s future is unclear, while Shawn Blore has also been linked with a return to Sydney at the end of 2026 in recent days, which would leave another hole in the side.
Melbourne have already signed Jack Hetherington for 2026 from the Newcastle Knights, but could continue to look for further reinforcements as the commencement of the campaign draws near, with Craig Bellamy’s side looking to break a string of two straight grand final losses.