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2025 NRL season officially launched | 02:44
The playing future of Melbourne Storm forward Christian Welch is in doubt with the one-time Queensland Origin forward contemplating a medical retirement.
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Welch, who was part of the Storm premiership-winning side of 2020, has a history of head knocks and suffered another concussion on day one of the Melbourne Storm’s pre-season camp in Geelong.
The 30-year-old has been given time away from training to consider his future with the Storm prop absent from the Melbourne Storm team photograph last week.
Welch has previously overcome a horror Achilles injury and three torn ACL’s but with back surgery now also a possibility as well as his latest concussion the prop forward could be forced out of the game.
Welch had the remainder of 2025 to run on his existing contract with an option for 2026.
Welch is currently on a contract worth around $600,000-a-season.
Any medical retirement would mean part of his salary for this season would be exempt from the salary cap meaning the Storm could free up around $400,000 for 2025.
Fortunately for the Storm one of the club’s big off-season plays was signing Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu to bolster the club’s front row stocks.
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Along with Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Josh King and Tui Kamikamica the Storm will field one of the strongest front row combinations in the NRL.
It’s a big decision for Welch who as of May last year had suffered six concussions before the latest pre-season incident.
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Welch has played 163 NRL games since making his debut for the Melbourne Storm in 2015 and at one stage was co-captain of the club before being axed from the Storm’s leadership group at the beginning of last season.
It’s long been expected Welch may take up a more full-time position with the Rugby League Players association once he does call time on his career.
