After 12 seasons with Melbourne Storm, former NZ Kiwis captain Jesse Bromwich will make a shock switch to the expansion Dolphins franchise for the 2023 NRL season.
One of the Aussie competition's top front-rowers, the Storm captain has played his entire career under coach Craig Bellamy, amassing 272 games and winning three championships.
But when the Redcliffe-based Dolphins make their debut next year, Bromwich, 32, will move to Queensland, joining Melbourne teammate Felise Kaufusi and fellow Kiwi Jamayne Isaako.
"Jesse will bring a host of good qualities to the Dolphins' inaugural roster, not the least of which will be his exposure at the highest levels of rugby league," says Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader.
"He has been one of the shining lights of the strong Storm system for the last decade, so will bring a tremendous level of professionalism with him."
The Manurewa junior has also played 29 tests for the Kiwis, but was stripped of his leadership role in 2017, when he and teammate Kevin Proctor were caught taking cocaine, after the ANZAC Test at Canberra.
He was promoted to Storm captaincy last season, after the retirement of longtime skipper Cameron Smith.
"He's displayed a remarkable consistency of performance and certainly would be on a shortlist of best front-rowers in the game over the past decade," says Storm chief executive Justin Rodski.
"Such has been his resilience, he's played 20 games or more each season, except for the shortened 2020 season.
"We will savour the last year of having Jesse at our club and I'm sure he will be determined to make 2022 one to remember."
