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After only a few months in Melbourne, Origin winger Xavier Coates says it feels like home while Storm coach Craig Bellamy is a big fan.
While his Storm teammates joked the NRL club was lucky to get his signature before winter arrived, Xavier Coates said he couldn't wait to extend his time in Melbourne.
The 21-year-old Queensland winger, who spent three seasons with Brisbane, only arrived at the Storm in November but has already inked a new deal until 2026.
Marking a former favourite son in the Bulldogs' Josh Addo-Carr on Sunday at AAMI Park, Coates scored a try and set up two others in a dominant display in his team's 44-0 romp.
"As soon as I landed in Melbourne I felt so at home and the pre-season was gruelling but I couldn't see myself going anywhere else," Coates told AAP.
"I was learning so much and all the coaching staff were so welcoming and I thought when an opportunity arose that had to sign off straightaway."
Midway through the first half Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, who himself bagged four tries, kicked a short goal line drop out, with Coates taking a pack mark worthy of any AFL field to keep possession.
He felt his aerial work, assisted by former Collingwood skipper Nick Maxwell, had improved since moving south.
"The play is something that I've tried to do before but obviously with a bit of assistance from the AFL club, he's helped me out a lot and given me more confidence about catching the balls and I'm feeling really comfortable out there," Coates said.
"Hopefully I will get a few more lessons with him and see where we go from there."
Storm coach Craig Bellamy knew he was getting a talent but said he'd been impressed that Coates wasn't content to just rely on that."
"He's was playing Origin when he was just 20 so we knew he had some ability, but the thing that's impressed us more than that is his attitude," Bellamy said of the winger, who made his State of Origin debut in 2020.
"He's a really humble kid, he's really down to earth and he works real hard.
"Sometimes when a kid is 19, 20-year-old and ends up playing Origin they probably think a little bit that the hard work might not be necessary.
"But he realises that it is and he's still working really hard - we couldn't be happier with him."
