cameron munster was listed at five-eighth for the Melbourne Storm as they hosted the South Sydney Rabbitohs in an ANZAC Day clash at AAMI Park on 25 April 2026 ET. The match began with South Sydney making an early surge that stunned the Storm and added more pressure to a difficult night for the home side. The Storm side included Jahrome Hughes, Harry Grant and Cameron Munster, while South Sydney named Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton and Cody Walker.
Storm face early pressure
The key development was the opening momentum from South Sydney, which set the tone in the live match environment at AAMI Park. Melbourne were forced to respond with a line-up built around Munster, Hughes and Grant, but the early surge left the Storm chasing control rather than dictating it. The clash was framed as a blockbuster ANZAC Day fixture, with both teams named before kickoff and the Storm under immediate scrutiny from the first exchanges.
For Melbourne, the focus landed quickly on their spine and middle rotation. The team sheet placed Cameron Munster in the No. 6 jersey, with Jahrome Hughes at halfback and Harry Grant at hooker, giving the Storm their core playmaking group on display. South Sydney’s starting side, meanwhile, carried its own high-profile names and looked prepared to test the Storm early.
Team sheets set the tone
The named Melbourne side also included Sualauvi Faalogo at fullback, William Warbrick and Jack Howarth in the centres and wings, and Stefano Utoikamanu, Josh King and Trent Loiero in the pack. On the bench, the Storm listed Tyran Wishart, Alec MacDonald, Shawn Blore, Davvy Moale, Hugo Peel, Trent Toelau and Josiah Pahulu. That structure showed Melbourne entering the contest with depth, even as the early stage of the game moved against them.
South Sydney’s line-up featured Matthew Dufty at fullback, Alex Johnston on the wing, Latrell Mitchell at centre and Cameron Murray in the middle. The Rabbitohs also had Brandon Smith, Tallis Duncan and Keaon Koloamatangi among the names in the starting mix or among the reserves, underlining the scale of the test facing the Storm.
What the ANZAC Day setting means
The ANZAC Day setting gave the game added weight, with AAMI Park hosting one of the round’s most watched fixtures. In that atmosphere, the early Rabbitohs surge mattered not just on the scoreboard but in the feel of the contest, putting the Storm in a chase position from the start. cameron munster remained central to Melbourne’s hopes because his position in the side placed him at the heart of any response.
There was no immediate indication in the context of any injury concern or late change for Munster, only his confirmed place in the run-on side. The immediate story was the live pressure on the Storm, the strength of the named teams and the opening burst that shifted the night’s rhythm before Melbourne could settle. As the game developed, attention stayed on whether Melbourne could steady themselves and use their key playmakers, including cameron munster, to reclaim control at AAMI Park.
