Storm
22
Match Complete
Sharks
6
| 69 |  | V. Holmes | ||
| 68 |  | L. Lewis | ||
| C. Smith |  | 64 | ||
| C. Smith | | 39 | ||
| B. Slater | | 39 | ||
| C. Smith | | 30 | ||
| B. Slater | | 28 | ||
| C. Smith | | 21 | ||
| B. Croft | | 19 | ||
| C. Smith | | 4 |
| 3 | Tries | 1 | ||
| 3 | Conversions | 1 | ||
| 2 | Penalty Goals | 0 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
The Melbourne Storm will look to move one step closer to their third straight grand final when they host the Cronulla Sharks in the first preliminary final. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:40pm (AEST).
Melbourne are out to make their third straight grand final and come into this contest at home as heavy favourites.
On the back of a week off, they will be rested up and ready to fire. If making a grand final wasn’t enough motivation, Billy Slater is also playing his final game in front of his home fans before heading off into retirement.
While the Storm are rested and relaxed with Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Will Chambers also coming back into the fold after injury and suspension respectively, it’s a completely different story for the visitors.
The Sharks, who last played the Storm in a final when they won the 2016 decider in a thriller, will be without their experienced back row for this clash, and it’ll make the battle in the middle third that much harder to win.
Without Wade Graham and Paul Gallen, who withdrew last night with injury, as well as nursing a busted Luke Lewis, they will have major problems competing in the forwards.
With Josh Dugan also on the sidelines and not likely to be subbed in an hour before kick-off, they lose three international players and almost 700 games of NRL experience – that’s an advantage you can’t afford to give up against a Craig Bellamy-coached team.
Cronulla enjoy making games physical and winning the war in the middle of the ground, but without Gallen the challenge is going to be difficult. They will need to match it with the Storm’s forwards and try to control the ruck if they are a chance, with Chad Towsnsend and Matt Moylan then needing to stand up to direct the team around.
The Storm do go in as favourites though, and the biggest task for them looms to be stopping Andrew Fifita.
Should they be able to do that, Cameron Smith’s ability to run the team out of dummy half and pick the right times to kick will be crucial, as will the support play and defensive organisational work of Slater.
With those two running the team, it takes the pressure off Brodie Croft and Cameron Munster, who should be able to play his natural, dangerous running game and take the Sharks big forward pack apart at the back end of halves.
Historically, the Sharks have won just two of nine games at AAMI Park, however, they were their last two visits there so they can take some confidence from that.
Prediction
The Storm have this one on paper. The loss of Gallen and Graham will be simply too much to overcome, and with Slater and Smith running the side, Cronulla will bow out of the competition.
Storm by 4.
Gameinfo
Kick-off: 7:40pm (AEST)
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria
TV: Live, Fox League, Nine Network
Online: Live, Foxtel app, Foxtel now, 9Now, NRL Digital pass
Betting: Storm $1.35, Sharks $3.25
Referees: Gerard Sutton, Ben Cummins
Overall record: Played 36, Storm 22, Sharks 14
Last meeting: Round 22, 2018 – Storm 14 defeated by Sharks 17 at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Last five: Sharks 4, Storm 1
Record at AAMI Park: Played 9, Storm 7, Sharks 2
Record in finals: Played 2, Storm 1, Sharks 1
Last finals meeting: 2016 grand final – Sharks 14 defeat Sharks 12 at ANZ Stadium, Homebush
Melbourne Storm
1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith, 10 Tim Glasby, 11 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Joe Stimson, 13 Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14 Kenneath Bromwich, 15 Christian Welch, 16 Ryan Hoffman, 17 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 18. Brandon Smith 19. Jahrome Hughes 20. Sam Kasiano 21. Cheyse Blair
Cronulla Sharks
1 Valentine Holmes, 2 Sosaia Feki, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Edrick Lee, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Luke Lewis, 12 Kurt Capewell, 13 Paul Gallen (injured)
Interchange: 14 Scott Sorensen, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Aaron Woods, 17 Jayson Bukuya, 18 Josh Dugan, 19 Ava Seumanufagai, 20 Joseph Paulo, 21 Kyle Flanagan
Cadfael
Roar Guru
You can't make the penalty dependant on the outcome of the tackle. If its a shoulder charge (and it was) then he should be penalised for it, 200 points, end of story. If the shoulder connected with the head then a second charge of attackinhg the head of a player.
Brew
Guest
Your username is pathetic and the storm deserved to win
Brew
Guest
I must’ve been watching a different game as the sharks were atrocious
Wayne Turner
Guest
For sure. Also I thought the commentators on channel 9 were going to propose to Slater tonight,even in front of his wife and kids.
Fish
Guest
Horsecrap
Renegade
Roar Guru
Those question marks are supposed to be emojis lol
Scott Pryde
Expert
You'll be right mate! Enjoy it.
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
Doesn't matter who could have been playing Storm were completely dominant. Having those players would have just Sharks look a bit more respectable nothing more.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Big Nelson! Fittler: How are ya mate? Nelson: Good thank you Best mannered player in the NRL. Shame they don’t have a Dally M for it. What a legend!
JVGO
Guest
Clinical? They stumbled and bumbled their way to two points in the second half. Without Sutton that might have even been a close game.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Cool
Renegade
Roar Guru
Agree on storm, fresh after a week off and at full strength.... as I said, sharks were practically lambs to the slaughter tonight.
JVGO
Guest
Are you serious? Storm have stumbled and bumbled their way to two points in the second half. Pretty pathetic honestly. I thought we'd get beat by forty before the game. Without Sutton that would have been a close game.
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Love your work Scotty! Got big shoes to fill next week!
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Congratulations Melbourne, just too much for us tonight and a thoroughly deserved victory. Three grand finals in a row is nothing to be sneezed at. It was an up and down year for the Sharks but the signs are good and hopefully things are on the up for next year. Big thank you to Luke Lewis, a totally class player. Glad to see he bagged a try in his last outing, he will be a hard man to replace. Up Up
The Barry
Roar Guru
Curtis Scott is a dirty sanchez grub...
Scott Pryde
Expert
You're probably right Renegade - but they were never really in the contest. It's just what the Storm do to you.
Fightfair
Guest
So not a fan of Melbourne carnt?
canetoad
Guest
still build em old school in Nth QLD
Renegade
Roar Guru
I think you’re missing the mark massively on the sharks performance there Scott, the sharks weren’t that bad.... they had key injuries that is well documented and sure the second half they made a lot of mistakes but that’s cause they had to play unstructured due to chasing points..... 90% of the other sides would’ve got beaten by a larger scoreline even at full strength than the wounded and brave sharks did tonight.