The last thing the Melbourne Storm needs is to face a Roosters side that is starting to regain its premiership-winning form.
The Storm are already without fullback Billy Slater and halfback Cooper Cronk after both suffered varying injuries in Queensland’s loss to New South Wales in Game 1 of the Origin series.
The absences of both players, only healed by the late inclusion of captain Cameron Smith, were sorely felt as the Storm were shut out 22-0 by the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville last weekend.
It continues a strangely inconsistent season for the Storm, whose loss dropped them down to ninth after starting the round just outside the top four. This inconsistency could be an indication that this year may see the Storm decline as a force in the NRL.
The next few weeks will present some challenges ahead for Craig Bellamy, who will unveil another different halves pairing in Tohu Harris and Ben Roberts, after the latter and Cameron Smith stood by the scrumbase in the loss to the Cowboys.
With Cooper Cronk out until possibly the end of winter, the Storm will need to rely on Harris and Roberts to carry them through this difficult period and to keep them within finals contention, if not top four.
Ryan Hinchcliffe, who started at hooker ahead of Smith last week, will move back to the lock forward position.
Promising young star Cameron Munster will once again line up at fullback. He has been touted as a possible replacement for Billy Slater when the Storm veteran retires, and he also featured in Queensland’s Under-20s team recently.
Munster will directly oppose the experience that is Anthony Minichiello, whose Roosters side sit just outside the top four on percentage after a slow start to their premiership defence.
After being thumped by the Cowboys in Townsville in Round 10, the premiers have bounced back with huge wins over the Bulldogs and Raiders, with dumped NSW halves James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce pulling the strings and boosting their chances of a recall for the Blues in the process.
Maloney and Pearce can continue their push to be included in the side for Game 2 with a strong performance against such a depleted team. As such, the Roosters deserve to be favourites for this match, but the fact is that they have not won in Melbourne since 2010.
On that occasion, the Roosters also won over a depleted Storm side whose Queensland contingent of Slater, Greg Inglis, Cronk and Smith were preparing to wrap up a fifth consecutive Origin series victory for their state.
Winger Daniel Tupou and backrower Aidan Guerra showed no signs of rustiness from the opening Origin match, both also going through the Roosters’ match against Canberra unscathed, with the former scoring a hat-trick.
Trent Robinson’s men can continue their resurgence by knocking off the Storm in Bleak City, after which they host the struggling Knights, leading into their bye. After that they face up to the Sea Eagles for the second time this season.
The key match-up will be between Cameron Smith and Jake Friend, who many believe will succeed him as the Maroons’ hooker when the Storm captain eventually retires.
In the end, the Roosters appear to be the stronger team on paper. Though the Storm will continue to challenge even with the loss of Slater and Cronk limiting their attack.
The million dollar question will be – can the Storm win with only Smith pulling the strings, or will the Roosters prove too strong at AAMI Park?
Whatever the outcome, it should be an intriguing match.
BrumbyJack
Guest
Walter aren't you the same guy who gave the Dragons a chance against Souths on Monday?!!! I think you were, and more than likely still are, hoping for a Benji miracle to save a wooden spoon destined club!!!
Walter Penninger
Roar Guru
The Roosters will rain on the Storms parade and for Bellamy it will increasingly be how often he can get his tired troops out of bed.
Loki
Roar Rookie
Mel could win , MOM (home game) Hayne ! ; )
paul
Guest
If checcin maxwell or ben cummins reffereeing the storm will have every chance to win as these knuckle draggers hate the roosters and smash us all the time
Elma Dudd
Guest
They looked like it was going to be 40 nil against the raiders last week , then they seem to give their hands a liberal coat if butter and took some sleeping pills . I hope your right because they really need to be putting these weaker sides to the sword .
BrumbyJack
Guest
Nice analysis Stu. And I think you're right Scott, it looks like the line to me should be more around the 12 -14 Mark. Also thinking unders might be a good play in this match? Scott any idea what that line is?
Parrafan
Guest
Storm really feeling the heat after letting Widdop go. I like Roberts effort but he is running around with 3 heads on the football field. Rocks and diamonds all within 5 minutes on the pitch.
Stu
Guest
Putting origin issues to one side, Melbourne will defend well on Sunday (as they did against the Cowboys). The real issue is attack and kicking game. Last week I watched Ben Roberts kick straight to the fullback or winger on just about every occasion. Smith chimed in but his kicking game was out of sorts. With Mini at the back the task of gaining kick metres and this field position becomes nigh impossible. In attack, say Melbourne get enough penalties to get some field position, they lack the bodies in motion and, subsequently, the player to pick the right option to get over the line. Note against the Cowboys that when there werent viable attacking options (especially with Cronk's absence gutting their right edge) that Smith went back to his old faithful, jump out of dummy half and give a face ball to Hoffman. Well that might work once. The Storm will need more than one try to get over the Roosters. In short: 18-4 to the Roosters.
Harry Easton
Roar Rookie
Battle between Friend and Smith will be the only reason to watch this match (if Smith isn't playing in the haves that is). Friend has a chance to push for Origin bench spot in this match. Qld are in disarray at the selection table, especially with their bench and although Smith played full 80 against Cowboys I'm not sure if he'll be 100% ready for Origin II. Friend has been in outstanding form this year and in 2013 and should be considered as a bolter for QLD
mushi
Guest
Sounds good but the finals aren't played during SOO
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Elma Have you had a look at the Storm's backline? Importantly who has been given the task to run the team? Cameron Munster, Sisa Waqa, Will Chambers, Kurt Mann, Young Tonumaipea, Tohu Harris, Ben Roberts. Yes that's right, Ben Roberts.
Marldon
Guest
Very true. This is where Bellamy's approach comes unstuck. If I were a coach, I would be very tempted to recruit a team of Kiwis and Poms and thereby destroy all opposition everytime the rep period comes up.
Elma Dudd
Guest
Dunno about that Scott . The roosters have developed a bad habit of playing well for a long enough period to win the game and then taking their foot off the pedal .
Benedict Arnold
Guest
The shame about SOO is when a player gets injured due to a representative game, the club has to still keep paying their wages. So the club gets screwed both ways due to games outside of the standard NRL competition (on field and financially). It's kinda like having your car stolen, having to pay the excess and then deal with the hassle of either getting it repaired if found or written off; then there's having to deal with all the other bs on the side and the nuisance of it. And none of it was your fault.
Chappy
Guest
Mastermind, there's no chance the NSW halves combo will be changed unless there's an injury or suspension. I pray to god Mitch Pearce isn't picked again. I've seen that train wreck to many times and I'm absolutely flabbergasted Pearce's name is still mentioned. What a joke, "I feel like I've taken crazy pills"
Marldon
Guest
Its the same old whinging about the same old topic because the same old leaders fail to listen to the same old whinging and fail to fix the same old topic. All we can do is complain, to stop complaining is to give in and we must never do that no matter how much selective deafness our leaders display. Some of the lesser sides should concentrate on getting better not relying on gold plated teams getting crippled by origin.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Hi Mastermind The Storm are 3.8 and the Roosters are 1.27 or - 10 points. It will likely get to over two converted tries.
Elma Dudd
Guest
Perhaps they could play games only on days when it was between 12 and 18 degrees and wasn't raining . Same old whinging about the same old topic. This mAy not be a good example but no one ever sees that this time of year some of the lesser sides get a chance to be more competitive against the gold plated teams .
Vivalasvegan
Guest
Spot on, I'm not going to watch them get thumped. The lads just got right after the RLWC and Origin pops up. NRL treated like a feeder system for Origin. Great spectacle but is killing the comp. And, it is linked to the piss poor salary cap. Storm have no depth as a result of producing great players. Illogical. How the Roosters manage the cap is beyond me...
Marldon
Guest
Spot on, I was just about to write something similar. If I was a Storm supporter, why on earth would I bother to go to this match just to watch the heart ripped out of my side by an Origin game in which I have little interest. Until the NRL (ARE YOU LISTENING DAVE SMITH) fixes this Origin scheduling you are going to continue to turn many fans off from the domestic game. In some ways, I hope the attendances for this match are really really bad just so that those in power might start to get the message.