Melbourne Storm make youth retention their recruitment focus - Herald Sun

Re-signing Will Chambers is a key priority for the Storm. Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE Storm officials don't want to lose any more key members of the all-conquering outfit and will turn their attention to securing a trio of 20-somethings.

English international five-eighth Gareth Widdop stunned Storm last week when he revealed he had signed a four-year deal with St George Illawarra.

Storm also offered the 24-year-old a four-year deal, but not the reported $2.2 million Widdop will get at the Dragons.

Apart from the likes of Israel Folau and Greg Inglis, Storm doesn't make a habit of losing players just hitting their peak and so premiership-winning duo Will Chambers and Justin O'Neill, as well as Kiwi international winger Matt Duffie, have assumed contracting priority.

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Widdop yesterday opened up, to a degree, on his reasons for leaving the ladder leader to join a team that has not hidden the fact it could be in the market for a new coach next year.

"I asked a few questions: Who's going to be the coach and which players they are going to recruit. They said they were happy with (Steve) Price and the way things were going," Widdop said.

"They are a great club with a lot of history and offered me a really good contract. There was a bit of an opportunity to take more of a leadership role within the club."

Melbourne Storm do not want to lose premiership player Justin O'Neill. Picture: Klein Michael

Widdop said his teammates and coach Craig Bellamy supported his decision, as long as it came with a pledge to give everything to the Storm cause this year.

"It's been a very tough decision to make. Melbourne has been a great place to me and my home base since I moved from England," he said. "I'm happy with the decision and now I just want to move on and hopefully make this a special year again."

Storm's nine representative players reported to training in good health yesterday and are expected to take their place in Thursday's Anzac Day clash against New Zealand Warriors.

Widdop responded to a taunt from former teammate Todd Lowrie, now with the Warriors, that Melbourne "feared" this clash, having lost more times to the Kiwis than all bar one club.

"It's Toddy just stirring. We don't fear anybody," Widdop said.

"We just know they're a great side and it's going to be a great game, as every year it is."