Melbourne snap up Brisbane winger Xavier Coates
Melbourne Storm have confirmed the signing of Papua New Guinea international Xavier Coates on a two-year deal.
The 20-year-old is one of the most highly-rated young players in the NRL, having made his Brisbane debut in 2019.
He has gone on to score 14 tries in 24 appearances for the Broncos but will link up with the Storm from 2022 onwards.
Coates also started twice for Queensland in their State of Origin series win over New South Wales last year, crossing in game one and two.
The Broncos, currently 14th on the NRL ladder, have confirmed that the search for a replacement has already begun.
Speaking about Coates’ capture, Storm general manager Frank Ponissi said: “Xavier has already shown he is one of the best young wingers in the game, but at just 20 years of age there is still plenty more he can achieve and develop in his game.
“He was a player who was always on our radar, with his connections with Storm going back to his junior days when he was part of the Easts Academy, aligned with Storm.
“We know there were a number of clubs interested in signing Xavier, but he was very keen to experience what Storm has to offer.”
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