When Trent Loiero sits down for a family meal he’s not even the best Melbourne Storm player at the table, but he’s getting close.
On the back of a break-out NRL season, Sunshine Coast’s Loiero is making a name for himself, with many in the Storm ranks crediting him as a key cog in their surge to Sunday’s grand final against Penrith.
But he still has some way to go to match the boyfriend of his sister Brooke – superstar Melbourne captain Harry Grant.
“They’ve been together for a few years and he’s good,” 23-year-old Loiero said.
“I’m still the favourite son.”
Loiero, who played for the Kawana Dolphins and went to Mountain Creek State High, made his NRL debut with the Storm in 2021 and played 26 games last year but really started to get attention this season when he switched to play lock.
The move allowed Josh King to move full-time to the front-row, where he’s also flourished.
Loiero’s efforts caught the eye of Queensland State of Origin coach Billy Slater, who called him into the squad ahead of game two in Melbourne.
“I was pretty shocked when that happened,” Loiero said.
“I was just grateful to be able to go in there with the sort of calibre of players that go into those camps and to be able to pick the brains of the likes of Patty Carrigan, Lindsay Collins and Reuben Cotter and see how they go about their business.
“It’s definitely given me a little taste and made me want more.”
Loiero has also impressed Melbourne’s playmaker Cameron Munster, who said he was a reason for the team pushing though to their first title decider since 2020.
“I think the big one for us is probably Trent coming from the left edge into the middle to knuckle down that lock position,” Munster said.
“He’s been massive for us this year, and he’s just going to keep improving.
“He plays 60 minutes in the middle at times straight, which just shows the engine he’s got and how hard he works on his game.
“We’ve got some great young players, who are really hungry and that’s want that in your team.”
The Storm squad consists of multiple players who have played for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland competition, including the likes of newly-crowned Dally M winner Jahrome Hughes, Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Loiero and more.
Lazarus Vaalepu, who has played just a handful of games for the Storm, was called into the grand final side this week after the suspension of Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Vaalepu has played mainly for the Falcons for the past three seasons.
