The table-topping Melbourne Storm will enter the clash against rivals the Sydney Roosters completely decimated by the impacts of a bruising Origin encounter on Wednesday night.
Melbourne will be without Queensland stars Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Will Chambers who have all fallen casualty following the 18-16 come-from-behind victory over New South Wales at Allianz Stadium.
Cronk, Smith and Slater have all been listed as ‘sore’, while Chambers has been sidelined with a more serious concussion that could see him miss more than the Round 16 clash against the Sydney side.
This leaves the Storm missing more than a combined 1100 games of NRL experience.
Melbourne will require a significant reshuffle, with Munster expected to return back to fullback, Jahrome Hughes to five-eighth, Brodie Croft to halfback and Curtis Scott into the centres.
The Roosters too enter the match without captain Boyd Cordner due to a calf strain that could see him off the park for some time, with questions being raised about his potential to be fit in time for the Origin decider in three weeks’ time.
Kane Evans will move into the starting line-up and the hard-hitting Zane Tetevano will be back on the interchange bench after being dropped for the Round 14 clash against the Wests Tigers.
Halfback Mitchell Pearce, Blake Ferguson and Dylan Napa will all return for the tricolours to take on the Storm at Adelaide Oval.
Overall, Melbourne will come into the match with something to prove, however, expect it too be too much for the Storm against a committed Roosters outfit.
My prediction: Roosters by 8.
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
Be a close game based on other games so far with teams without SOO players which I suppose was expected so those teams had ample time to prepare for the matches without these players - Bit surprised that the Roosters would take a home game to Adelaide though- Either team could win
Joe
Roar Rookie
This is going to be a very different test for the youngsters in the Storm compared to last week. This Roosters team is brimming with attack across the park and sitting on 2nd position on the ladder. I think if they lose by 8 they'll have done well. I'm happy to see how Jarome Hughes goes, he has been doing pretty well in QCup. I think if Young T plays center the Storm are going to get done on the left side. I can understand why the Origin guys are not backing up, that was a tough game and at 34 years old would be a pretty tough ask for all the four that played 80 mins.