Murray Ready for Storm Warning

Cameron Murray has paid tribute to Alex Johnston ahead of the winger's 250th game, and says the Rabbitohs won't take Melbourne lightly despite the Storm's slow start to the season.

Celebrating Alex Johnston's 250th Game

Cameron Murray says Alex Johnston's 250th game milestone is another chance to celebrate a South Sydney legend who has already been honoured multiple times this season. The Rabbitohs lock reflected on Johnston's significance to the Club ahead of the winger's latest achievement.

"He's a South Sydney man through and through. We love him here and we're looking forward to hopefully making it an even more special night with a win," Murray said.

Murray noted that Johnston's statue at the USANA Rabbitohs High Performance Centre will ensure his legacy is remembered forever. The forward said all the players are pleased for Johnston, describing the statue as a massive achievement and milestone that represents a permanent part of his legacy at the Club.

Lucky Escape from Shoulder Charge

Murray addressed the shoulder charge incident from Saturday's match that left him shaken, admitting he was fortunate to avoid serious injury. The lock said his former teammate missed his head by just a couple of centimetres, describing it as more of a shock to the body than anything else.

"I got lucky. It was just a shock to the body more than anything, so I'm just lucky that he didn't clip me around the head," Murray said.

Murray revealed his former teammate reached out afterwards to check he was alright, and the Rabbitohs captain had no hard feelings about the incident. He said he understood the type of player his opponent is and knew he was trying to inspire his teammates through his defence. Murray added that he didn't think there was too much wrong with it aside from it being a shoulder charge by the current rules, noting it would have been considered a fair hit a couple of years ago.

Melbourne Challenge and Competitive Season

Murray acknowledged that he has never won in Melbourne during his career but said he tries not to think about records or voodoos. He emphasised that playing Melbourne at their home ground has always proven to be extra difficult, with the Storm having been at the pinnacle of the competition for a long time.

Despite Melbourne's four-game losing streak, their first such run in approximately 12 years, Murray said the Rabbitohs won't be taking them lightly. He noted the competition appears more even this year than in the past, with mixed results across the board.

"Any NRL team who turns up on their day is a hard team to beat, and I guess that's just proven this year with the mixed results," Murray said. "Melbourne have got the talent and the skill across the park to be dangerous regardless of how they've started the season, and they've got some world-class players in that team, so we certainly won't be taking them lightly."

The lock also commented on the intensity of this season, saying it feels more intense than previous years, though he acknowledged that could partly be due to his own match fitness after not playing in 2025. When asked about Origin selection following a difficult weekend for New South Wales with injuries, Murray maintained his focus remains on performing well for the Red and Green first and foremost, knowing representative honours come off the back of strong club form.