The 2025 Melbourne Storm season was the 28th in the club's history, competing in the 2025 NRL season. The team was coached by Craig Bellamy, coaching the club for a 23rd consecutive season. Harry Grant continued as club captain for a second season.
Melbourne qualified for the 2025 NRL Grand Final, the 12th time the club had reached the season deciding match. In the Grand Final against the Brisbane Broncos, Melbourne led 22–12 at half time, but were held scoreless in the second half to lose 26–22.
In a first for the club, the under-21 squad won the 2025 Jersey Flegg Cup premiership, winning the Grand Final 38–16 against Penrith.
Season summary Preseason – Joining the club on train and trial contracts ahead of the season were players from the Storm academy (Coby Williamson, Mitch Jennings); Sunshine Coast Falcons (Josh Billing, Cooper-Page Wilson); Brisbane Tigers (Vaka Sikahele, Setu Tu); and North Sydney Bears (Nathaniel Roache, Morgan Harper, Ben Talty) 16 January – The club confirms that winger Dean Ieremia had suffered an achilles tendon rupture which will keep him sidelined for at least six months. 9 February – Harry Grant was reappointed captain, with Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster appointed as vice-captains. The club named a seven-man leadership group, with a number of other players named to an emerging leader group. 11 February – It was reported that former captain Christian Welch could be contemplating medical retirement after suffering a concussion during the club's preseason training camp. Welch had been given time away from the club to recover and was absent from a number of team activities. 12 February – Christian Welch announced his retirement from rugby league effective immediately. Welch retired on medical grounds due to a debilitating back injury. 15 February – Trailing 36–0 at half time of their first 2025 NRL Pre-season Challenge match against the New Zealand Warriors, an inexperienced Melbourne squad scored the only points of the second half in a 36–10 defeat. 23 February – Melbourne go without a win during the pre-season for the first time since 2019, losing their second match of the year 36–24 to the North Queensland Cowboys at Casey Fields. Sua Fa'alogo scored a try just before half time, but was forced from the field in the second half due to a hamstring injury. New signing Stefano Utoikamanu scored a try in his second match for the club ahead of the new season. In the second half, club academy prospect Hugo Peel suffered a broken jaw and severe concussion after a collision with fellow rookie Coby Williamson. Round 1 – Melbourne score 46 points in the first half against the Parramatta Eels to set a new club record for first half points, on the way to a 56–18 victory. Ryan Papenhuyzen and Xavier Coates each scored two tries to extend the club's round 1 winning streak to 23 matches. 13 March – Forward Josh King extends his contract with the club until the end of the 2027 season. Round 3 – Melbourne defeat 2024 NRL Grand Final opponent Penrith Panthers 30–24 at AAMI Park, with both teams scoring five tries. Cameron Munster had three try assists in the win, but was put on report for an alleged hip-drop tackle for which he was not cited by the NRL Judiciary. Halfback Jahrome Hughes suffered a broken hand, while Nick Meaney and Nelson Asofa-Solomona were both injured in a tackling collision. Meaney suffered a facial injury in the incident and Asofa-Solomona a concussion. Round 4 – The Storm lose their first match of the season, going down to the St George Illawarra Dragons 14–6 in wet conditions at Netstrata Jubliee Stadium. Ryan Papenhuyzen scored the club's only try in a dour match. Round 5 – The Storm end a three-match losing streak at 4 Pines Park in a 48–24 win against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. Grant Anderson scored his first NRL hat-trick. Round 6 — Melbourne retain the Michael Moore Trophy for the 17th successive match with a win against the Warriors. The Storm led 36–0 at half time, with Xavier Coates scoring a double. Ryan Papenhuyzen was again perfect with the boot, bringing up his 500th career point in the first half. Round 7 — The Dolphins defeat Melbourne 42–22 for their first win against the Storm. Melbourne had led 16–2 in the first half, before conceding the next 40 points. Jack Howarth injured his shoulder during the match, while captain Harry Grant was injured at training before travelling to Brisbane. Ryan Papenhuyzen was charged with a grade one dangerous tackle late in the match, with the club opting to fight the subsequent fine at the NRL Judiciary. The panel members dismissed the charge after two minutes of deliberation. Round 8 — Melbourne extend their winning streak against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Victoria to 20 matches, with the visitors yet to win a match in Victoria. In wet conditions, Melbourne won 24–16 despite a late surge from Souths after Ryan Papenhuyzen was sent to the sin bin with eight minutes remaining for a professional foul. Eliesa Katoa was awarded the Spirit of ANZAC Medal for his efforts in the match, which included scoring a try. There was controversy before the match when the club reportedly cancelled a Welcome to Country to be performed by Indigenous Elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin as part of the ANZAC Day commemorations. The controversy later leading to the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service ending their partnership with the club which promoted the "Deadly Choices" campaign. Round 9 – In a thriller at Magic Round, the club was defeated by a penalty goal just before half time of golden point by the Canberra Raiders to lose 20–18. Melbourne had led by 14 points during the first half and had a field goal taken off the scoreboard by referee Gerard Sutton in the final ten minutes of regulation time. A controversial penalty in extra time against Stefano Utoikamanu (which also led to the forward being sent to the sin bin) earned the ire of supporters, while coach Craig Bellamy focused on a lack of discipline by his players. Round 10 – Ryan Papenhuyzen scored 36 points against the Wests Tigers to break the long-standing club record for individual points in a match, besting Matt Geyer's 34 points against Western Suburbs in 1999. Papenhuyzen scored four tries, including a hat-trick to start the match, together with kicking 10 of 11 conversion attempts. The 64–0 win equalled Melbourne's greatest winning margin. 26 May – The club secures the signing of 21-year-old prop forward Josiah Pahulu with immediate effect until the end of the 2027 season. Pahulu joins Melbourne from the Gold Coast Titans where he had played 22 NRL matches, including three in 2025. 29 May – It is reported that Melbourne will be ending their feeder club affiliation agreements with the Brisbane Tigers and Sunshine Coast Falcons in favour of forming their own NSW Cup team to compete in that competition from 2026. The club previously had a short-lived NSW Cup team competing as the Melbourne Storm in 2010. The club later issued a statement partially refuting the report, stating it would be maintaining its connection with the Queensland clubs. 5 June – Craig Bellamy confirms that he was continue in his position as head coach until the end of the 2026 season, extending his tenure to a 24th season. Round 18 – Missing five players to State of Origin selection, and with a number of players missing through injury, Melbourne end their three-match losing streak at Queensland Country Bank Stadium to win 26–20. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown made his NRL debut on the wing for the Storm, becoming the sixth Victorian-born player to make their debut with the club. Round 20 – Manly snap Melbourne's six match winning streak and their ten match winning streak at AAMI Park with an upset 18–16 victory. Behind 16–6 at half time, the Storm rallied to level the scores with Xavier Coates scoring a hat trick, but a late penalty goal handed the Sea Eagles the two points. Round 21 – In Xavier Coates' 100th NRL match, Melbourne get the better of the Sydney Roosters in a high-scoring match to win 34–30. The win comes at a cost though, with Jahrome Hughes suffering a shoulder injury that would keep him out for at least six weeks. 29 July – Halfback Jahrome Hughes signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2030 NRL season. 4 August – Before the launch of the 2025 Indigenous jersey, the club issued a further statement of apology following the events on Anzac Day. 7 August – Former club captain and record games holder Cameron Smith was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as an athlete member. Round 24 – In golden point extra time, Harry Grant scores the match-winning try to steal a 22–18 win over the reigning premiers at CommBank Stadium. Penrith had led 12–4 at half time before a try to Marion Seve levelled the scores late in the second half. Seve was playing his first NRL match wearing protective eye wear after suffering a serious eye injury while playing for the North Sydney Bears earlier in the season. Grant was at the centre of a controversial penalty against Penrith late in regulation time when he was impeded trying to charge down a field goal attempt. 20 August – Melbourne announce a new membership record, signing up 40,237 members to surpass the previous record of 40,161 set in 2022. 29 August – Ending months of speculation, the club announced the end of their feeder club partnerships with the Brisbane Tigers, Sunshine Coast Falcons and North Sydney Bears. Round 26 – In Craig Bellamy's 600th match in charge of the club, the Sydney Roosters spoil the party coming from 10–0 down at half time with a dominant 40–point second half to win 40–10. It was the most points conceded by the Storm in a half and the most points the club had conceded at AAMI Park since losing to the Canberra Raiders during the 2012 season. Round 27 – Melbourne lose consecutive matches for the first time since the 2023 season, losing to the Brisbane Broncos 30–14. It was Melbourne's third straight defeat at Suncorp Stadium and their first regular season loss to the Broncos at the venue since 2009. Halfback Jahrome Hughes returned from his shoulder injury sustained in July, only to leave the field with a broken arm during the first half. Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen sustained a concussion from a high tackle late in the loss, while Nelson Asofa-Solomona was cited and later charged with a grade two careless high tackle charge. Asofa-Solomona was suspended by the NRL Judiciary for three matches. Melbourne ended the regular season in second place on the NRL ladder behind minor premiers Canberra. 6 September – Winger Xavier Coates extends his contract with the club until the end of the 2027 NRL season. Coates was the club's leading tryscorer during the 2025 regular season with 19 tries. Qualifying final – Melbourne progressed to a 10th preliminary final in 11 seasons in a tense 26–18 win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Missing Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes, young halfback Jonah Pezet stepped up guiding the Storm to the win. 19 September — The club announced that they will be fielding seven teams from the 2026 season, entering a reserve grade team in the NSWRL New South Wales Cup as well as junior female squads in the Under-17s Lisa Fiaola Cup and Under-19s Tarsha Gale Cup, as well as the three male junior representative teams. It will be the first time since 2010 that the Storm will have their own reserve grade team. 22 September — In a major change, the owners of the Storm announce that they had sold their ownership stake in the Sunshine Coast Lightning to Global Sports Management. CEO Justin Rodski quoted saying "this move will now allow the club focus on rugby league in our home of Victoria."