The Melbourne Storm have booked their spot in a second straight grand final with a thumping 30-point win over the Brisbane Broncos at AAMI Park in the first NRL preliminary final.
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Final score
Melbourne Storm 30
Brisbane Broncos 0
Minor premiers the Melbourne Storm will look to make a second straight grand final when they host the inconsistent, but dangerous Brisbane Broncos in the first preliminary final. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:55pm (AEST).
Playing at home, and with Cooper Cronk in his final season for the club, the Storm have everything working in their favour, motivation-wise.
Of course, they don’t need to be motivated by Cronk – they have revenge on their mind after being beaten by Cronulla in the 2016 grand final.
For the Broncos to win, a lot if going to need to go right.
What Brisbane can look to is that the Storm produced one of their worst – and it still wasn’t bad – performances of the season against the Parramatta Eels in a Week 1 qualifying final.
They scraped away with the win in Cameron Smith’s 356th game, but you’d expect Craig Bellamy made sure the wake-up call was well and truly received.
Brisbane themselves weren’t exactly good in a qualifying final loss to the Sydney Roosters. It was a case of who could find the more impressive way to lose, as the match went from one fumbling error to the next.
Wayne Bennett was less than impressed sitting in the coaches’ box, and it’s been the story of his side’s year. Despite finishing third, they never set the world on fire, dropping games they should have been winning and having constant questions asked, especially over their defence.
The Broncos had to turn it around last week back at home, and to their credit they did, beating the Panthers 13-6 in a tight affair. It wasn’t pretty, but their defence and effort were much improved.
They need to keep improving this week, and may do so with Darius Boyd back in the side. Tevita Pangai also re-joins the bench, while the Storm are unchanged.
It’s worth noting that the Broncos have won just two of seven finals matches against Melbourne, and only one of their last five head-to-head battles.
Prediction
The Storm are too strong, too classy and at home. If they don’t win, it’ll be the biggest choke in rugby league’s recent memory.
Unfortunately, it could get a bit messy as well.
Storm by 16.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the match from 7:55pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
DJ
Guest
Pathetic display from Brisbane. Bunch of overpaid passengers. Their attack was very poor. What's going on with Boyd? He looks uninterested. Yet again Hunt goes missing in an important game, Roberts no where to be found again. I forgot he's still in the team. Moga still hasn't learnt how to pass the ball to his winger. Speaking of Oats he needs to work on his ball control. Dropped too many last night. A lot of players got paid during the year then went missing. It looked like they were looking forward to mad Monday after that performance, no heart. At least the Cowboys have a dig and have a go, more than I can say for Broncos. I don't care if they finished in top 4, if you dish up that in a preliminary final you don't deserve to be in the finals at all. I can't see much changing next year either. Milford is getting paid as a top tier half, he isn't even remotely playing like one, he's been too hot and cold this year, Turns it one one week then goes missing the next. All i can say is good riddance Blair, Moga and Hunt.
Michael Woods
Guest
Brisbane will not win a premiership as long as they are solely relient on thier defence and a very limited attack. Their attack is almost solely relient on Darius Boyd chiming into the backline to feed Cory Oates on the wing, apart from that the attack is based on solo performances, which don't come off often enough. You cannot defend all game against the better sides and hope to win with a limited attack. With some of the best attacking weapons in the game, more structure is needed to give these players more attacking opportunities.Next year is not looking good, looking at the Forward Pack which will be dimminished, it was hardly dominant this year often times struggling to match it with many other bigger packs. Although Wayne Bennett undoutably has the runs on the board I feel the game may be passing him by, he needs to look at the tactics of some other clubs and be less relient on defending his way though the season.
Ken
Guest
Does anyone under 70 ever seen Churchill play lol , who ? Slater is the best NRL fullback in history , not the old nswrl lol
Ken
Guest
Lol heres a tissue for your issue
Nico
Guest
A lot of it's been just plain bad luck, losing each part of the 'spine' Boyd, Milford, Hunt and McCullough at different points in the season. I'd argue Melbourne would not have had the season they've had if theyd had Cronk, Smith, Slater and Munster out for extended periods. Sad to see Hunt go but optimistic about seeing what Jack Bird, Andre Savelio and Payne Haas can do in Broncos colours in '18, Nikorima will be better for the season he's had too, add in another decent prop forward and they'll be right in the mix
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Hey I'd like to think Im right atleast 3 times per day! :) Yeah no doubt Boyd going off hurt the Broncs. Your boys will rue that they didn't capitalise on their chances in the first half. They had the storm rattled. I think you needed another big man or two in the middle to wear them down.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Cheers Emcie.
Jara W
Guest
*wrong spot
Rellum
Roar Guru
Yeah, we stated off we risk free one out stuff, then suddenly we wanted to throw the ball around, and we did it well, then went back to one out stuff before breaking out the attack again before shutting up shop to end the season. That is why I say there is no real plan moving forward compared to 2015.
Emcie
Roar Guru
:)
Emcie
Roar Guru
Hunt is the biggest loss, but the Broncs actually played their best without him. It's been a wierd season for us really, feels like we've had four different teams each with their own playstyle
Emcie
Roar Guru
Thanks for the call scott
Rellum
Roar Guru
There is a whole bunch of players missing next year, Hunt, Ese Ese, Benji, Arrow with Blair and Moga. The team will be very different next year.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Even a broken watch is right twice a day ;) Still I'll give you that, but moving Nikorima to fullback took alot of thier forward momentum away as it has done all season. Benji is great but he has a very different combo with milf then nikorima does.
Bill larkin
Guest
Broncos played well. But not good enough. Slater must play next year at least.
Mike
Guest
An emphatic win by the storm and will be a hard team to beat. The Broncos never looked like scoring and appeared lost once they got close to the chalk. Boys was a passenger and should not have been on the paddock. Finally, Alfie Langer should be presented with a medallion for having spent more time on the paddock this season than any other Bronco!!
Jara W
Guest
I think execution was the difference, not fitness. The only time either team looked on the ropes was Melbourne at the end of the first half. They still managed to hang in there to there credit. But poor execution by Brisbane played its part there too.
Jimmmy
Guest
Now you are talking.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Wow...did not see this score coming. ...especially after the first half. Broncos were right in it despite being behind. Storm defense is just too good. 50 more tackles in the first half, played terrible and were still up 8-0. Some bungled tries in the first half might have turned the match either way. JAC try before halftime was huge. Boyd inclusion was a gamble that backfired as they lost direction once he left. I have said previously that Slater makes a big difference to the team compared to last year and he proved it again tonight. Still lots to fix for the Storm as they were pretty bad for 55 mins. Looking forward to next week.
Emcie
Roar Guru
They need less injuries really. Pretty successful season given all the disruption really. Ah well, GO COWBOYS!!