The Melbourne Storm have extended the contract of Waka Hammond, a shining light of the club’s pathways system.
Hammond was awarded the Young Tonumaipea Award for the Under-17s Harold Matthews Cup Player of the Year in 2024, and has been earmarked as a key part of the Storm’s future, alongside Cooper Clarke and Jai Bowden.
Able to play fullback or in the halves, the talented prospect is a sight to behold in attack with his electric footwork and deadly right-foot step.
Already contracted until the end of 2026, Hammond has agreed to a 12-month extension with the Storm, which will now keep him at the club until at least the end of the 2027 NRL season and blocking teams from speaking to him from November 1.
Fresh off leading Hallam Secondary College to glory in the Storm Cup, Hammond is eligible to play in the SG Ball Cup for another two years and has already played nine times in the Under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup.
“It shows clearly now to all the young kids in Victoria there is a clear pathway with Waka being in high school and playing at under-21 level,” Hallam school coach Janan Billings told the Herald Sun in 2024.
“He’s setting the groundwork for a lot of other Victorians. He has the potential and the ingredients to go all the way and play NRL.”