Melbourne might have won at Brisbane just last week, but they know it was just the undercard – with the main event due for Friday night.
Defending their barely believable 14-game winning streak over the Broncos, coach Craig Bellamy was in no doubt about where the biggest threat to his side would come from: superstar number 1 Reece Walsh.
Asked how intended to deal with the lightening fast fullback, Bellamy brought up one of his long-standing star, Billy Slater, and joked about what other coaches said regarding him.
“I think that question was asked to opposition coaches back when Billy was playing and the answer was, ‘with a double-barrel shotgun’, laughed the Storm coach.
“If anyone has got one of them we might be able to take it out on the field.
“I don’t know whether I have seen a quicker player than Reece. Billy was unbelievable at changing direction and still being quick, but that straight line pace…I haven’t seen many quicker than this bloke.
“We have a little plan we are hoping to put into action but he is a very dangerous player and a huge benefit for the Broncos.”
Bellamy has a speed merchant of his own in Ryan Papenhuyzen, but will continue to hold him back from the bench as he returns to full fitness after a long injury layoff, with the coach backing incumbent Nick Meaney to continue and the new man to provide spark from the interchange.
“Paps has looked sharp but the more footy he plays the sharper he will get,” said Bellamy.
“I think he has added confidence to the rest of the team, especially our senior players. Everyone thinks of his pace, which is a great quality, but he knows the game really well and has played in a few positions in the last six weeks in the Queensland Cup and NRL.
“We just think that he will give the team plenty of energy and knowhow when he comes on.
“There are a couple of positions he might end up in. We are relying on how the game goes with how we use him. We haven’t got a 100% plan.”
His counterpart, Broncos boss Kevin Walters, wasn’t moved on his side’s poor record against the Storm, telling media that it would have no effect.
“I don’t believe in hoodoos,” said the coach.
“This group of players haven’t even spoken about it. The Broncos beat the Storm in 2006 (to win the Premiership). Do you think that’s relevant to what is happening this year? I don’t think it is.
“The Storm have been a great team for a long time. We are respectful of that, but all my energy and focus has been on us and making sure we get it right tomorrow night as best we can.
“Now it won’t be a complete performance but it will be one of our best performances of the year and it will need to be.”
Walters was more focussed on his own team selections, with long-serving winger Corey Oates missing out on selection in favour of Jesse Arthars due to a lack of match fitness following a lengthy injury layoff.
“It was a difficult one,” admitted Kevvie.
“With Oatesy, I just felt he hadn’t played enough footy for us consistently for a match that is going to be quite fast.
“Oatesy has great experience at Origin and finals level, but the only way to gain experience is to play in those games.
“Jesse has been really good for us this year, whatever position he has played. He has been called in late at different times and done a terrific job for us whenever he has played, so he has got the jump on Oatesy.”
Martin Taupau and Corey Jensen failed to make the cut, with Keenan Palasia, Kobe Hetherington and Brendan Piakura – who avoided a ban despite being charged three times last week – all given the nod.
“Keenan has been starting and he has had a couple of games off the bench for us so he will know what to do,” said Walters.
“Kobe has been a regular coming on. He is a different style of player to our other middles but certainly brings plenty to the group.
“Brendan Piakura, we have used him with great effect on the edge. It is a different bench but one that has been very effective.
“We are mindful that we are a fit side and very athletic so we need to maintain that. It is a game of footy that will be won in the minds and we are very strong there.”
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