NRL: Storm fans back fallen stars

A crowd of almost 24,000 turned up to Etihad Stadium to watch the Storm play for pride against the Warriors last night. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - The fan who dumped a bin bag of Melbourne Storm memorabilia at the club's headquarters appears to be in the minority after supporters rallied round the deposed National Rugby League (NRL) premiers last night.

Fears the Storm's small, though dedicated, fan base would diminish in light of the club's salary cap scandal eased at Etihad Stadium.

The cavernous 52,000-seat arena is impossible for the Storm to fill at the best of times - only 14,000 turned up last Monday for bitter rivals Manly, the last time the Storm were allowed to play for competition points.

That figure was exceeded easily - and not because the Warriors attract a sizeable following of ex-pat Kiwis.

The majority of the 23,906 crowd were there to pay homage to their fallen heroes on Anzac Day - an outpouring of emotion that helped spur the side to an emphatic 40-6 victory.

As try followed try the faithful practically raised the roof of the enclosed venue - a sign one game into the Storm's punishment that fans embrace the concept of competing solely for pride.

Their encouragement was not lost on the team: "I've played around the country and I've never seen a more loyal group of people to a sporting organisation," said captain Cameron Smith.

"They could have quite easily thrown away their Storm jumpers and tossed in their memberships, but they didn't."

Already resplendent in team-issue purple, they queued three-deep at the concourse's merchandise booth, buying up kit advertising sponsors that abandoned the franchise once the extent of the Storm's illegal accounting practices became apparent on Thursday.

If the Storm's players and personnel were worried about the welcome they would receive - the pre-match drills surely soothed the nerves.

Under the supervision of assistant coach Stephen Kearney, the players were greeted like premiership winners.

While Kearney, the Kiwis coach and a Storm legend, looked pensive when back on the paddock after a tortuous couple of days - fellow club icons Robbie Kearns and Matt Geyer made impassioned pleas for the crowd's continued support.

Later as kick-off loomed a cast of Storm luminaries - including Kearney's mate and fellow Kiwis selector Tawera Nikau - formed an imposing block of support on the sideline.

They stood solid when the Storm reappeared to run through a banner emblazoned with the immortal words "Lest we forget" - a reference to the glorious war dead, not a week Storm's legion of fans would love to erase from memory.

- NZPA