In January, Will Warbrick pulled out a notebook and began to write.
Sitting in the flat he shares with Melbourne Storm teammate Tui Kamikamica, the winger jotted down some goals for this season. On top of his list was to represent the Kiwis, which could happen next week, ahead of the Pacific Championships, and to play for the Māori All Stars. The third bullet point in the margin was to reach the NRL Grand Final to try to bring the premiership trophy back to the Victorian capital.
It was ambitious – especially for someone with one season of first grade behind him – but the former New Zealand Sevens star has always thrived on challenges. On Sunday, the 26-year-old will face his greatest yet, part of the “big dance” against a Penrith team hunting their fourth consecutive premiership. It continues the remarkable journey since he opted to leap to league a few months after claiming a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021.
“When I first moved to Melbourne from New Zealand I was taking a gamble,” Warbrick told the Herald. “Back then, it was just a dream to get a debut and wear the purple jersey. To think now, my third year living in Melbourne and my second year of NRL to be preparing for a grand final – it’s pretty crazy.”
Making such a code switch, especially to a demanding environment like the Storm, needed belief, spirit and guts. He had been fortified by his first conversation with coach Craig Bellamy on an initial call with the Storm hierarchy and his agent, but it seemed a long road ahead.
“It took a lot of courage and looking in the mirror, asking if I really did believe I could make the change,” said Warbrick. “I had some pretty cool people around me, people that believed in me. The fact that Craig on a Zoom call said he believed I could become an NRL player is what got me across to sign the contract but at the end of the day it was my choice to leave Sevens, move away from home and come across here.”
Warbrick’s recent success is well documented; 17 tries in 25 games in his debut NRL season, followed by another 15 in 23 appearances in 2024, where he has averaged more than 140 running metres a game and also made 20 linebreaks. What is less understood is the effort to arrive at this point. Storm pre-seasons are infamous – often talked about in hushed tones by those who have endured them – and the first one back in November 2021 almost broke Warbrick.
“It was a bit of a shock… it would have been daunting and hard for him,” said Storm assistant coach Aaron Bellamy, the son of their legendary mentor. “The pre-seasons here push players mentally and physically to their limits.”
Bellamy remembers Warbrick as “pretty shy and reserved”, as he adjusted to a new sport and new club. There were a lot of hurdles – getting used to the contact, the collisions, the physical demands with the 10-metre rule as well as forging a life away from New Zealand.
“It is tough for people who come here,” said Bellamy. “Unless you are a local kid, you don’t have any friends or family here, so you are relying on guys at the club to become mates with and on top of that he had never played the game. It’s a testament to his resilience, dedication and hard work. It would have been easy for him to stay comfortable at home.”
The progress wasn’t instant. There were plenty of challenges in his first year – where he was wholly confined to reserve grade for the Storm’s feeder club, the Sunshine Coast Falcons – but Warbrick accepted his fate.
“He was really patient in his first year,” said Bellamy. “It would have been hard for him but he was prepared to bide his time. [A lot] of the young generation now are not willing to be patient, want it right here, right now, but he is a bit different.”
Warbrick’s work ethic stood out. He was one of the first players at the club every Monday morning, keen to review his game and hear analysis and feedback on his weekend performance.
“Some guys aren’t so keen to do that but Will was there every week,” said Bellamy. “He should be really proud about where he has got to.”
Warbrick was always physically imposing – 193cm and more than 100kg – but has had to marry his natural talent with the structure required. He has also learned to use his natural aggression, which Bellamy said makes him even more intimidating with backfield carries or aerial contests.
That ability in the air is a major weapon – who will forget his buzzer-beating try in the semifinal last season? – and has been honed by regular contact with coaches from AFL club Collingwood.
“Naturally Will and [fellow winger] Xavier Coates are already really good at it but there are some little nuances they have been able to learn from the AFL guys... it’s a point of difference for our team,” said Bellamy.
The Storm claimed the minor premiership after completing the regular season with a 19-5 record. They developed a habit of winning tight games, with a series of final-quarter comebacks. Warbrick said they are a “really connected” group, while a no-holds-barred discussion ahead of the season set the standard.
“We had a pretty honest conversation as a playing group,” said Warbrick. “We set out some goals of what we wanted to achieve and where we wanted to be with our culture and environment. You really want to perform in the big games, not just for yourself but for your teammates and that is what shows in those tough moments.”
After a mixed first half of 2024, Warbrick has been happier with his consistency since. He is still learning the game, with only 48 NRL appearances, but has a greater understanding now and is confident to follow his instincts.
It’s also helped playing alongside halfback Jahrome Hughes, who has enjoyed a career-best year, confirmed by his Dally M award on Wednesday.
“He is one of those guys, when he is on the field next to you or talking to you, you have so much confidence in yourself,” said Warbrick. “He is a great player himself but he brings out the best in his teammates as well.”
Off the back of last year’s epic decider between the Panthers and the Broncos, Sunday’s match (9.30pm NZT) shapes as another classic. Melbourne have won both clashes this season (8-0 and 24-22), though Penrith had won six of the previous eight encounters between the sides.
“Craig gave us a good message about how to prepare to perform at our best,” said Warbrick. “Nothing changes in the way we prepare and we trust the work we have been doing all season. If anything we look to simplify things and also enjoy the week, embrace it and just be present. You don’t want to lock yourself away.
“For me, I’m usually pretty relaxed, don’t try and get too carried away during the week. Then come Sunday, when you are getting to the stadium, that’s when you start switching the mindset.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.