The 21-year-old electrician has been consistently in the Storm's best players each week and was rapt to make the state side this season after returning home from a year in the VFL.

"One of the main reasons I moved back was because I wanted to play for the state and I am very proud to say that I have done that and ticked that on my resume.

"It has been tough for the Western Storm this year, but we've got a very young group and have been hit by a few injuries and a few guys who have gone away.

"We've been competitive in every game except for the one last week and shown good effort, but we just have to get ourselves over the line and it's hard with a lot of young fellows in the side."

Harper said coach Mitch Hills' plan to get games into the club's younger players was the way to go.

"We went through this stage when we were at South Launceston and I was one of the young guys that was given a game.

"It worked out better for me and we won a premiership, so hopefully we can do the same thing at the Storm in a couple of years."

Harper said Storm players were looking forward to renewing acquaintances with former South premiership coach Mitch Thorp at Aurora Stadium today.

"I know on our end we really want to beat them and would love for them to be our first scalp for the year.

"I imagine it is exactly the same for him - he's pretty competitive and not wanting to lose to a lot of his friends and ex-teammates so there is a good rivalry built just on that."