The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Storm leaving Broncos in purple daze a huge finals indication

3rd July, 2016
Advertisement
Cam Smith has been playing halfback and hooker. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Expert
3rd July, 2016
18
1284 Reads

Did anyone get the number of that truck? It is three days ago now, but I’m still marvelling at the manner in which Melbourne dismantled Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.

I mean, I know the Broncos haven’t been in great form of late, but 48-6 to the Storm on the road? Game over well before halftime? Come on. That was stunning.

I’ve had to reassess my view of Melbourne as being – in recent years, at least – a terrific regular-season team that crashes out in the finals because they can’t improve on that, while other teams invariably lift on their regular-season form.

The Storm have only won one out of five finals games since they last won the premiership, in 2012.

That lone win came in the qualifying finals last year, when they beat Sydney Roosters 20-18, in Sydney. It got them the second week of the finals off, but all it really meant was that when they resumed playing they were up against the cream, with half of the top eight having been eliminated.

North Queensland went to Melbourne and easily accounted for them, 32-12, for a place in the grand final.

Melbourne went out in straight sets in 2013, losing to both South Sydney, in Sydney, and Newcastle, in Melbourne, and in 2014 they were whipped, 28-4, by Canterbury, also in Melbourne.

It may seem incongruous of me to change my view of the Storm before they actually play finals football again, but there is something different about them this season. They look better. Stronger. More complete all-round.

Advertisement

And they’re headed for the all-important top two, which would bring them a home game in the first week of the finals and again in week three if they won straight through. They haven’t finished in the top two since they were second in 2012.

They must still have both Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk fit and healthy or they won’t be a chance of going all the way in the finals.

Other teams would have problems without their key players as well, but no other team in the competition relies as much on two particular players as the Storm do.

Still, that only matters if one or both of Smith and Cronk are out. If they’re both in, the Storm can beat anyone.

Cronk had five try assists against the Broncos. Every other player in the Melbourne backline had multiple tackle breaks.

Ryan Morgan must think it’s Christmas and Storm coach Craig Bellamy is Santa Claus.

Morgan couldn’t get a regular run in first grade at Parramatta, but then the Eels offloaded him mid-season to ease their salary cap woes and Melbourne happily picked him up and now he is playing regular football there.

Advertisement

Against the Broncos, Morgan made three tackle breaks and one line-break and scored a try.

The popular theory is that Bellamy brings tried players to Melbourne and makes them better players. I’m not sure he makes them better players, as such. I think he just makes them more effective as the players they already are.

The consistent line you get from players who have gone to Melbourne with reasonable reputations and developed better reputations while there is that each individual player in the team knows, without any possibility of confusion, exactly what his job is.

They say Bellamy makes it very simple for them. Their role is very clearly defined and if they fulfil that role they have done their job.

Wouldn’t every coach at every club aim to do similar with his players? No doubt, but the impression you get is that Bellamy simply does it better and that he drills it into them so hard at training it becomes automatic with them.

Occasionally, the machine breaks down, but not much this season. It’s well oiled and very reliable.

close