Melbourne Storm out of lightning
September 23rd 2008 09:51
Opposing teams have sharpened their knives. When the Newcastle Knights defeated the Melbourne Storm in round 25 this season, the reigning premiers were finally up for the taking.
Although the Storm claimed their third successive minor Premiership a week later against the Rabbitohs, the New Zealand Warriors were across the Tasman, quietly plotting strategies to make history.
And so they did, proving the McIntyre system can yield the occasional upset, inturn exposing the Storm’s loss in form over recent weeks.
Suddenly Graig Bellamy's men were faced with sudden death finals football.
Off the field, Storm captain Cameron Smith was labelling the Warriors side "whingers" after claiming his team was on the wrong end of some controversial decisions by referee Ben Cummins.
Although that hype died down somewhat, Melbourne had to travel to Brisbane to face a Broncos side who were filled with turmoil themselves.
When game time approached at Suncorp Stadium, the Broncos were pumped and the Storm were on their way out.
Indeed Brisbane led 12-0 at the break to place a foot on Melbourne’s throat.
Unfortunately for Wayne Bennett’s men, they let go and allowed the Storm enough breath to score a try that broke Bronco hearts.
Bennett after the game said Melbourne are now at their most vulnerable since the start of 2006.
He feels that both Brisbane and the Warriors have torn down enough of the Storm's wall of invulnerability these past three seasons.
They have exposed the soft belly of a side that was hot favourites for this years title.
Even though the Storm progressed to the Preliminary final against the Cronulla Sharks, Melbourne are fighting battles off the field they themselves are not winning anymore.
Storm captain Smith has been cited with a grade one contrary conduct charge and faces a two match suspension if he fails to be proven innocent.
Melbourne second rower Jeremy Smith is indeed out of the game against the Sharks.
He was suspended for one match after accepting an early guilty plea for the chicken wing tackle.
Compounding the problem is the unavailability of NSW and Australian forward Ryan Hoffman this week due to an ankle injury sustained in last Saturday’s win over the Broncos.
It seems now the Storm are finally vulnerable. The aura of fear and respect they have sustained over the 15 teams in the NRL looks to be heading south quicker than expected.
And although the Sharks will not admit it, they too can smell Melbourne blood.
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