In what should be a fantastic game of football, I have to say, all the signs are pointing towards a Melbourne Storm win for me. They’ve got the players, the coach, and the forward pack to do the job.
Their turn around in the latter half of this season from the rut they were in is a testament to the shrewd coaching and player management of Craig Bellamy. Somehow he resurrected a team that looked like it was going off the rails and has them peaking at precisely the right time.
Look at way they demolished Souths.
It was clinical. And they probably should have beaten Manly by an even wider margin, such was their dominance in that game.
On the other hand, Souths were right in their match against the Bulldogs, and if Reynolds had stayed on the field, they may well have gotten up.
The Rabbitohs showed that you can nullify the power and size of the Bulldogs forwards by going straight through the middle of the ruck, exploiting tired defenders with short inside balls.
Think about the likes of SLater and Cronk running up the middle of the ground on the back of good yardage from Norrie and co. They’ll isolate guys like Kasiano and Eastwood, who are great players but can get a little lazy sometimes in defence.
In the Souths game, Isaac Luke found them out badly around the ruck area. Cameron Smith will do the same. He simply commands respect around the middle of the park.
That said, there will be some big personal showdowns: Slater vs Barba; Morris vs Chambers; Kasiano against Norrie, who, miraculously, was going to play for Wagga Wagga in park football a few years ago before Bellamy offered him a lifeline.
If the Bulldogs can get Pritchard and Eastwood firing, they’ll be a threat. But they will need to go to a whole new level.
I don’t think they have it in them and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Storm get up in the end comfortably by 12 or more points.
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.
The Bulldogs are facing a $4 million lawsuit from former player Jackson Topine, after allegedly being forced to wrestle his teammates as punishment for…
The Jackson Topine lawsuit raises issues of significant importance for player welfare and the duty of care owed to players by NRL clubs. In…
Canterbury's board have vowed to "vigorously defend" themselves against a $4 million civil case from former player Jackson Topine, amid claims he suffered a…
Andrew Johns and Brad Fitler disagreed over how the Hetherington-Mahoney altercation should've been handled with Joey suggesting if the pair got all their steam…
The younger brother of NRL star Nathan Cleary, Jett, has inked a three-year deal with the New Zealand Warriors to start in 2025. Cleary,…
Jack Hetherington could face sanctions from the NRL after vision emerged of the fiery Newcastle forward appearing to throw a punch at Bulldogs hooker…
