- It’s been a great day at the Melbourne Storm
- Coach Craig Bellamy has decided to continue in 2025
- The club also announced the curious signing of Cummins
Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins is better known for his underwear commercials than football these days, which makes his recent ‘signing’ with NRL club Melbourne Storm really baffling… until you look at a little more deeply.
Craig Bellamy’s commitment to coach the club in 2025 was the main news from Storm HQ on Friday, but it was also accompanied by the surprise announcement of the signing of the former Super Rugby and Wallabies star.
Storm chief executive Justin Rodski revealed the club had made “a really special signing” that had been “a long time in the making” just before Bellamy’s announcement.
“We know that code changes don’t happen easily, but we are very excited to welcome the new addition to our team,” said Rodski.
Cummins made a shock appearance for the Melbourne Storm on Friday (pictured) after “signing” with the club.
The Honey Badger (pictured center with Storm players Christian Welch, left, and Harry Grant) wants to keep the younger players on their toes.
“A player who has great character, he has proven himself on the big stage of rugby. And we, as a club, are always looking to do things a little differently and look for opportunities to strengthen our team and our roster.
“Today is that day and we are so excited to welcome the Melbourne Storm…the Honey Badger.”
Cummins is now famous for his Aussie pranks, his rugby playing days, his Tradie underwear and workwear commercials and for appearing on the ninth series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Australia.
He played 87 games for the Western Force, earned 15 caps for the Wallabies and played 35 Rugby 7s series for the Australian team.
The 36-year-old hung up his boots for good in 2016, leaving many wondering what he would be doing with the Storm in the NRL.
In his prime, Cummins was a destructive weapon for the Wallabies and the Australian 7s team.
The man known as Honey Badger quickly endeared himself to Super Rugby fans with his unique and very Australian way of speaking.
Today, Cummins is best known as the ambassador of Tradie underwear and workwear, a company that happens to sponsor the Melbourne Storm.
While the signing is surely a PR stunt for Tradie, who sponsor Storm, and there is precisely zero chance of Cummins lining up in the NRL, the former rugby star came out and declared that he “still has a bit of music in him” in it. .
“The opportunity came my way, I was like a bull in a china shop, I just wanted to get into it, throw myself into it and give it everything I could,” he said, in typical Honey Badger style.
The Tradie water bottle is another indication that Cummins’ appearance was a public relations stunt.
“You’ve got a couple of young guys that I want to show that I can still deliver the goods and push,” Cummins said.
“I know I can bring something to the kids with a little experience and a little passion.”
“It’s a very close-knit group, there are few places, but I will do what I can for everyone.
‘The boys, how united they are, it’s going to be difficult to figure that out, but I know I can. It’s as tight as a fat woman’s sock.
“If I can come in and add what I can, I will.”