Christian Welch spent the day before Melbourne’s NRL preliminary final win against Canberra on Twitter arguing against the formulation of a promotion-relegation system for Australian soccer.

It was the first time the politically-minded Storm forward had waded into the divisive round -ball debate.

“I think I angered a fair bit of soccer Twitter; I hadn’t come across that particular angry mob before,” he told AAP.

Earlier in the week the architect of the Storm’s in-house betting ring was left squirming when $4 outsider Nicho Hynes beat short-priced favourite Cameron Munster in the club’s table tennis championship.

“That brought a bit of stress … there was value there for the boys and they wanted us to pay up as soon as it was over,” he said.

The commerce graduate, a deserved Queensland State of Origin debutant last year, is also behind the team’s regular chess, cards and board game sessions that include cult strategy game Catan.

“We’ve got a few groups going on … it’s all very nerdy, very non-rugby league,” he said.

The Storm have spent 117 days in their Sunshine Coast bubble and ironically Welch’s “unregistered guest” has been the club’s only COVID-19 slip-up.

Two ACL tears and a couple of grand final losses add to the narrative of a man still chasing a premiership ring who was all but signed by Parramatta last season, before the second of those injury setbacks.

Now locked in at Melbourne until 2022, the 26-year-old Welch has been key to keeping his teammates, who delight in sticking the boot in, sane.

“Oh, I’m sick of him,” winger Josh Addo-Carr said at the mention of Welch.

“He’s intelligent, funny, says all these big words but he’s a true character of the game and the mastermind of all that kind of stuff and he’s just a cheeky bastard.”

Fellow forward and board game enthusiast Jesse Bromwich has a theory as to why Welch had to dig deep into his bag of tricks.

“He’s a very organised guy, quite smart and been really good especially for the guys without families there (keeping them entertained),” the New Zealand prop said.

“I was too good for the boys, kept winning Catan, so I had to retire but unfortunately he’s not very good at the games, that’s why he keeps bringing in new ones.”

Known by his teammates as Sea Cow in a nod to his physique and style, Welch prefers White Rhino and is happy to talk politics unless he’s stuck in a room with teammate Sandor Earl.

Earl has sent club staff outside the bubble on frequent trips to a specific seafood supplier to stock up on oysters as part of a carnivorous diet given prominence by Quade Cooper.

“He’s into those diets and posts a lot of Sky News rubbish; he’s not quite all there I don’t think,” Welch said.

“I’m a bit of a lefty so I hate seeing him post all that, but good luck to him.”

Meanwhile, in-form centre Justin Olam has quietly become the most popular man in his native Papua New Guinea, Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith have brought the gags and the statesman-like Cameron Smith has kept the world waiting for a potential retirement announcement.

Welch said embracing the different personalities has been vital during a relocation they first hoped would last just two weeks.

“It’s the best thing about rugby league; it doesn’t matter where you’re from or your background, how smart you are, if you’ve gone to uni or have a trade everyone’s equal,” he said.

“Different interests, cultures and we all come together and respect each other and that’s the important thing and it’s been amazing – it’s a very special group.”

Bromwich has no doubt Welch’s efforts this year will have a long-term impact on the club, noting how close the families inside the bubble have become.

From unprecedented adversity they’ve reached a fourth grand final in five seasons while staying in touch with reality, something coach Craig Bellamy often notes post game when they acknowledge their Victorian fans.

“It’s been a crazy year but everyone’s taken it on, living in each other’s pockets for the last four months,” Welch said.

“But we need to have some perspective of our issues compared to everyday Australians.

“We’re in a recession, unemployment’s rising and there’s significant health issues, particularly for our senior citizens.

“So it’s not all doom and gloom for us; we’re playing NRL every week, getting paid and staying in a lovely resort on the Sunshine Coast getting some sun.

“And we’re into a grand final, so life’s pretty good.”