1998 Melbourne Storm season
| 1998 Melbourne Storm season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRL Rank | 3rd | |||
| Play-off result | Semi-final Loss | |||
| 1998 record | Wins: 17; draws: 1; losses: 6 | |||
| Points scored | For: 546; against: 372 | |||
| Team information | ||||
| Chairman | John Ribot | |||
| Coach | Chris Anderson | |||
| Captain |
| |||
| Stadium | Olympic Park | |||
| Avg. attendance | 12,716 | |||
| High attendance | 20,522 (Round 4) | |||
| Top scorers | ||||
| Tries | Scott Hill & Marcus Bai (14) | |||
| Goals | Craig Smith (51) | |||
| Points | Craig Smith (110) | |||
| ||||
The 1998 Melbourne Storm season was the first in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's inaugural Premiership and their first season was a major surprise to many, with the new team reaching the top of the ladder in Round 15 and finishing the regular season in 3rd place, only one win behind minor premiers Brisbane. Adopting coach Chris Anderson's new "flat-line" attack, the big Storm forwards laid a platform for their young halves Scott Hill and Brett Kimmorley to wreak havoc on opposing teams. Melbourne's front-rowers Glenn Lazarus, Robbie Kearns and Rodney Howe were all selected to play for New South Wales in the 1998 State of Origin series. A late season injury to captain Lazarus combined with a lack of Finals experience saw the Storm knocked out in the play-offs. The club though had proven they were to be taken seriously, and they had easily produced the best debut season of any new team in the game's history.