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The Melbourne Storm<\/a> have extended the contract of Waka Hammond, a shining light of the club’s pathways system.<\/p>\n Hammond was awarded the Young Tonumaipea<\/a> Award for the Under-17s Harold Matthews Cup<\/a> Player of the Year in 2024, and has been earmarked as a key part of the Storm’s future, alongside Cooper Clarke<\/a> and Jai Bowden<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> season and blocking teams from speaking to him from November 1.<\/p>\n Fresh off leading Hallam Secondary College to glory in the Storm Cup, Hammond is eligible to play in the SG Ball Cup<\/a> for another two years and has already played nine times in the Under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt 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,\u201d Hallam school coach Janan Billings told the\u00a0 Herald Sun in 2024.<\/a><\/p>\n