Storm ready for new stadium bow

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has paid tribute to the fans that have stuck by the club over the past fortnight, and has vowed to repay their faith with a strong showing on Sunday against Brisbane.

It will be the Storm’s first ever game at their brand new $267.5m AAMI Park home and their first appearance in front of their home fans since the salary cap scandal that gripped the sport a fortnight ago.

“The one thing we have been really looking forward to over the past two weeks is this game on the weekend,” said Bellamy.

“It’s a little bit extra special this week going into the new stadium.

“Hopefully we’ll have plenty of fans turn up, they’ve been wonderfully supportive during this period, and I know the players are really looking forward to going there.

“Hopefully most of our guys can back up from Friday night because I know how much it means to them to play in front of their home fans for the first time at AAMI Park.

“What we do on the field this week, most of that will be for the fans, because like I said they’ve been wonderful throughout this and we’re looking forward to paying them back on Sunday.”

AAMI Park has a capacity of 31,001 and construction was started late 2007, employing more than 1,200 people. It also includes many environmental features, such as recycling rainwater collected from the roof.