Five talking points from Melbourne Storm vs Canberra Raiders NRL preliminary final

The Melbourne Storm have marched into their first grand final since 2012, recording a clinical two-point victory over the Canberra Raiders in an excellent game of rugby league.

Right from the outset, both teams were switched on and what followed was 80 minutes of brilliance. While there were only four tries scored throughout, there was no shortage of flair from the Raiders, clinical execution from the Storm and brilliant defence from both sides.

Melbourne will now take on the Cronulla Sharks in the grand final next weekend.

Here are The Roar‘s talking points from the match.

The Storm must play from in front next weekend
The Storm, as they have shown more and more throughout the year are excellent front runners, and barely lose a game if they take any sort of lead into the halftime break, or even after the first 20 minutes – but playing from behind they are a completely different team, and not one that has premiership written all over it.

At their best, Melbourne are simply scintillating, with their clinical execution on offence leading to tired defensive lines leaving them holes all over the place, and a defence that keeps on churning out the numbers.

At their worst though, which is when they don’t score first and get away to an early lead they look like a team that could have missed the top eight.

Cooper Cronk’s kicking game, which is usually drilled to a fine art becomes an absolute mess as he searches for a way to put fast points up, and the combination he and Cameron Smith usually possess unravels big time.

Against the Sharks for starters, they must play from a comfortable position. The Sharks are one of the only teams who can match them for getting into the grind, so it’s important they aren’t chasing points, as it will be for Cronulla.

Moreover though, on the big stage Cronk needs to be controlled, working with his forwards and not being rushed to try and put points up in a hurry.

That is just how the Storm operate. Early points and they win the competition.

Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith are the keys
While we have already talked somewhat about Cronk and his kicking game, it’s his combination with Cameron Smith, experience and level-headedness under pressure and in big moments that defines who the Storm are as a team.

While Cronk runs the majority of the kicking game, Smith is the man who sets him up, marshals the troops around the park and ensures Cronk has time to run whatever plays he wants to run, whenever he wants to run them with quality service.

When Smith is firing, his kicking game is also the best from dummy half in the competition, and as we saw multiple times against Canberra it’s a huge assett to have.

Dale Finucane is the most underrated lock in the game
When Finucane left Canbterbury a fewyears ago, he was a fringe first grader who looked like he might eventually transition into a consistent workhorse off the bench at best.

Well hasn’t that been flipped on its head since he arrived in Melbourne? Working under Craig Bellamy, he has transformed his game, and playing in a Melbourne side full of superstars it’s difficult for him to make people sit up and take notice.

However, there have been some excellent matches this year where he has been among the Storm’s best, and he was again last night.

Whether Finucane is among the Storm’s best players on the park or not often depends on how their creative geniuses play, because he is just incredibly consistent.

Finucane almost runs his game like clockwork. You know what you are going to get from him everytime he steps on the field and it is tough to remember him playing a bad game so far this season.

This isn’t the last of Canberra
Mark my words – Canberra will be once again at the business end of the competition come the 2017 season. As a team, they have come on in leaps and bounds this year, but with the public behind them and the experience gained out of this finals run they will be better for it.

The Raiders are one of, if not the most exciting team in the NRL, and they will be keeping most of that squad in tact for next season, which is a huge boost for the club.

Despite being knocked over by the Storm in the preliminary finals, it is a credit to coach Ricky Stuart and his troops to have made it that far after many thought they would battle for the top eight.

With Aiden Sezer and Blake Austin again forming the halves, and Jack Wighton continuing to grow into the fullback role, the Raiders are going to be a very hard team to stop.

Add that to their electric hooker Josh Hodgson, a right edge that is the most lethal in the competition and a big but well drilled forward and the Raiders have no excuses not to be top four and pushing for the premiership next season.

Marika Koroibete is going to be a huge loss in 2017
The Storm have done a great job recruiting Fijian wingers in recent times, but next year they lose the freakishly talented Marika Koroibete to Super Rugby and the Melbourne Rebels.

As he illustrated yet again last night, he will be a massive loss for the Storm. His main strength is undoubtedly the way he runs the football, and there are few wingers, or players in any position throughout the competition who could match him for pure pace and aggression.

Every time he touches it, there is a feeling that he is going to cause a problem, make a break or do something special and that was no different against Canberra.

His biggest moment in the match came midway through the second half when he made a monster 80-metre break out of his own half, eventually being pulled down by Jack Wighton who was promptly sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.

In all seriousness, it was the run of Koroibete and pressure he applied through that which led to the sin bin. But back to the original point – Koroibete has made plays like that all season.

He is the man the Storm can turn to when they are in trouble, or need a back to run it out of their own end – he is the complete winger, and how they replace him in 2017 is a real question.

Roarers, what did you think of our talking points from the second NRL preliminary final? What did you think of the match? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde