The Melbourne Storm have continued their major shake-up after reportedly signing gun Dolphins back-rower Oryn Keeley from 2027. It’s understood the Storm were keen to bring the 22-year-old to Melbourne for next season, following a number of big-name departures and the brain injury to Eli Katoa that’s ruled him out of the entire 2026 season.
However, News Corp reports that the Dolphins have blocked Melbourne from signing Keeley immediately, and he will instead join the Storm after next season. Yahoo Sport Australia has reached out to the Storm for confirmation. The versatile back-rower played a career-high 16 games for Kristian Woolf’s Dolphins in the NRL last season, scoring four tries in his fourth year in first-grade.
Craig Bellamy’s Storm have reportedly signed Oryn Keeley from Kristian Woolf’s Dolphins from the 2027 season as their shake-up continues. Pic: Getty
Keeley started his career at the Newcastle Knights but only played one game in each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, before making the switch to Redcliffe. And after just six appearances in 2024, Keeley became more of a regular for Woolf this year, averaging 73 run metres per game after being used predominantly off the bench.
But Storm coach Bellamy has a reputation for nurturing young talent and turning them into NRL stars, and clearly sees potential in the Dolphins forward. Bellamy’s interest in bringing in Keeley for next season is understandable, considering the massive loss of Katoa for 2026, following the brutal fallout from his brain injury while playing for Tonga last month.
The Melbourne Storm have reportedly signed Dolphins back-rower Oryn Keeley from 2027. Pic: Getty
Melbourne Storm shake-up continues after big-name exits
The Storm also released Nelson Asofa-Solomona from the final two years of his contract, with the two-time premiership winner making a shock career switch to boxing. Back-rower Shawn Blore – who is contracted at the Storm until the end of 2026 – has also ben linked with a move back to Sydney for 2027.
Melbourne’s playing stocks for next year have also been depleted by the departures of fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen and emerging half Jonah Pezet. Papenhuyzen quit the NRL to consider his future in professional sport after long being linked with a move to R360 – the rebel rugby competition which has now been pushed back to 2028.
Pezet will play for Parramatta in 2026 before moving to Brisbane in 2027, while utility Tyran Wishart’s future at the Storm is under a cloud amid revelations he’s flown to Perth to tour the Bears’ facilities. The Illawarra junior is off contract at the end of 2026 and free to negotiate with rival clubs about 2027.
While Melbourne will have to wait until 2027 to weclome Keeley to the club, their playing stocks for next season have been boosted as the Storm’s major shake-up continues. Bellamy has addressed Pezet’s release by signing Trent Toelau from the Penrith Panthers to provide depth in the halves. And it’s one of a number of signings announced by the club this week.
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Melbourne also confirmed the captures of Jack Hetherington from Newcastle and Manaia Waitere from the Raiders, ahead of the 2026 season. Toelau represented the Storm at Jersey Flegg level (under-21s) before moving to Penrith in 2021. His release from the Raiders paved the way for Canberra to bring in Broncos academy star Coby Black for next season.
While Hetherington is regarded as a more ready replacement for Katoa after playing 96 NRL games across his career with the Panthers, Warriors, Bulldogs and Knights. Hetherington only played seven games for Newcastle last season and wasn’t offered a new contract from the Knights, which allowed the Storm to pounce on the journeyman back-rower.