- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
No Billy Slater, no problems.
That’s the attitude Melbourne are carrying into the NRL finals as accidental No.1 Cameron Munster continues to blossom in the Australian custodian’s stead.
Many ruled a line through the Storm’s premiership chances when Billy Slater was ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury in June.
With one of the “Big Three” watching from the stands, the Storm were seen to be missing a key piece of the puzzle.
Enter Munster.
Proof of his growing combination with hooker Cameron Smith and halfback Cooper Cronk was again on show in the side’s 30-2 rout of Cronulla on Monday night.
After finishing with a try, a try assist, six tackle busts and a game-high 271 metres, Smith said Munster was quickly answering critics who said the side would flounder with him wearing the No.1 jumper.
“He’s getting a bit more time at the back there now. He was sort of in and out that fullback role when Billy was playing, in the centres in the halves, at fullback. He was sort of Mr. Fix-It for us for a while,” Smith said.
“He’s settled in that position and he’s getting a lot of time back there. I think he feels comfortable at No.1.”
Smith revealed Munster was initially seen as a temporary fix to their fullback crisis but had grown in the job.
The Storm captain admitted there had been a learning curve after Slater’s loss, with the side dropping three in a row after his injury, but they have since adapted and recovered to sit one win outside the top four.
“It took him a little bit, there was no question we struggled in the first three or four weeks after Billy was injured,” Smith said.
“Cameron was put there as a temporary Mr. Fix-It but he’s really grown in that position now.”
-AAP
The fifth placed Cronulla Sharks host the sixth placed Melbourne Storm with an all-important top-four spot come September potentially on the line. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary of all the action and commentary from 6:50pm (AEST).
The Sharks continued their winning form last week, taking another scalp in the form of the Cowboys to extend their winning streak to five in a row.
The Storm also came back into the winners’ circle last week, making easy work of the Titans after suffering a shock loss to the Tigers the week before.
Melbourne have been inconsistent this year. One week they’re getting slaughtered by the pace of Tigers fullback James Tedesco, and the next Cameron Munster is burning arguably the quickest man in rugby league, James Roberts of the Titans.
The Storm will be looking to go in behind the ruck with the pace of Munster and the passing skills of Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.
In the only change to Melbourne’s line-up, Felise Kaufusi replaces the suspended Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
Changes for the Sharks include Matt Prior starting at prop for the suspended Sam Tagataese, with Anthony Tupou dropping back to the bench making way for Luke Lewis.
The Sharks conceded all their tries last week through kicks, and with Blake Green and Cronk, the Storm arguably have the best kicking game in the competition. Melbourne have been a bit of a bogey side for the Sharks, and Cronulla’s inability to defend kicks could cost them.
Prediction
The Storm, having strung some games together and become familiar with how each other plays, will prove too strong.
Storm by 1.
Will the Sharks extend their winning streak to six, or will the Storm crash the party in Cronulla and be the victors once again? Join The Roar from 6:50pm (AEST) for updates and debate in our live blog.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.