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The Melbourne Storm have reaffirmed their tag as premiership favourites with a commanding 44-10 win over an ill-disciplined Canberra Raiders outfit.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Melbourne Storm 44
Canberra 10
Will the Melbourne Storm solidify their spot atop of the competition ladder or can the Canberra Raiders use the frustration from last week’s controversial loss to their advantage? Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match starting at 7:35pm (AEST).
Melbourne’s 12-6 win over the Warriors last week epitomised exactly what their 2018 campaign has been built on – grit and determination.
While the Storm haven’t always looked at their clinical best, they still find ways to win and, as a result, they are aiming for their eighth-straight win.
In fact, while it may seem like Craig Bellamy’s men are far from their best at the moment, the numbers paint a different picture. So far in 2018, the Storm have won 13 games and nine of these have been by 13 points or more.
So it’s a scary thought for opposing teams if the defending premiers still haven’t reached their potential.
The Raiders, on the other hand, have clearly failed to fulfil their potential. On their day, Ricky Stuart’s men are one of the most destructive sides in the competition – just ask the Tigers, who they thumped 48-12 five rounds ago.
However, consistency continues to elude the Green Machine and, despite a determined comeback, a slow start cost them last week against Cronulla.
While all the talk has been directed towards the role that the referees played in the defeat, an ill-disciplined opening to the game was the real reason the Raiders lost.
Their season is probably already over, but given the unpredictability of this year’s competition, Stuart will be hoping his team can maintain their self-belief against the reigning champions.
Prediction
Last week’s loss may have broken the resilient Raiders and Melbourne will take full advantage, progressing one step closer to securing back-to-back minor premierships.
Storm by 20.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match starting at 7:35pm (AEST).
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