Melbourne are the great NRL dynasty, but are these the last days of Rome?

The Melbourne Storm dynasty has been unparalleled in modern Australian sport, particularly those which prioritise competition parity. Success has come and gone for plenty of powerhouses but none have enjoyed the longevity of the Storm, who have been contending for titles for the past 16 years and counting.

It will go down as one of the most remarkable periods any club has put together in Australian rugby league, second only to St George of the 1950s and 1960s. The club has survived salary-cap scandals and rule changes designed to eradicate their strengths, ownership changes and player retirements, and it has done so without missing a beat. Premiership windows seemingly open and close for every club in every salary-capped sport – with the exception of the Melbourne Storm and the New England Patriots.

Related: NRLW expansion confirmed with pay to be increased for 2022

Not many would compete for a title straight after the departure of all-time greats such as Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith. The Storm reached a decider the year after Cronk left, won the minor premiership the year after Slater retired before winning the title 12 months later, and then went on to break all kinds of records en route to the minor premiership in the season following Smith’s retirement.

Premature forecasts of Melbourne’s demise have been commonplace over the last decade and longer. So far all the prognostications have been proven wrong. The Storm have been in the top four every year since 2006 bar two and have won a multitude of premierships and minor premierships. Finally, though, the cracks might finally be appearing. Are we in the last days of Rome?

The Storm have certainly shown a capacity to put controversy to the side, but