The Storm struggled to maintain up with the firepower of the Broncos in a 26-0 qualifying closing loss final Friday, with Matty Johns believing Melbourne appeared a “tired” staff.
Stars Harry Grant and Cam Munster did not have an effect on the sport, with Johns of the opinion a heavy consultant load is taking its toll
“I think there’s a few factors here. Firstly, they looked tired to me, particularly Harry Grant,” Johns mentioned on SEN.
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“If I was Craig Bellamy, I don’t let Harry Grant put his boots on until the last training run. He looked really tired, Harry.
“Munster has been unusually subdued; I don’t know what’s going on there.”
Both Munster and Grant performed for Australia within the World Cup on the finish of 2022 in addition to representing Queensland in a taxing Origin sequence this 12 months.
“They do look tired to me. They do,” he mentioned.
“A lot of those key players have played a lot of tough footy in the past few seasons, and it was a World Cup season last year so it’s a limited preparation, and then all those blokes like Harry Grant and Cam Munster playing State of Origin.
“For me it’s telling on them.”
Johns doesn’t suppose the disappointing efficiency in opposition to the Broncos is all on the likes of Grant, Munster and halfback Jahrome Hughes.
He additionally pinpointed the Storm’s pack, who have been “dominated” by the Brisbane forwards.
The Broncos pack, led by Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan ran for 781 metres whereas the Storm forwards solely recorded 555.
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“It has been a long time since I’ve seen a Melbourne Storm forward pack dominated like they were against Brisbane,” Johns mentioned.
“We’ve said this before, one thing about the Storm pack at the moment is that they will grind, but they lack explosion.
Apart from Nelson (Asofa-Solomona), they are really struggling to get forward. It’s a big problem.”
“Their saviour to an extent was going to be (Ryan) Papenhuyzen, because he comes on through the middle and can poke his nose through with his speed and his footwork against the bigger blokes.
They’re vulnerable the Melbourne Storm. The one thing about rugby league doesn’t change, if you aren’t winning the battle of the middle, you’re halves don’t get a look in.”
Johns was requested if Papenhuyzen would have the ability to return to his finest.
Papenhuyzen suffered an ankle damage in opposition to the Broncos in what was his third NRL recreation again after 14 months on the sideline due to a critical knee damage.
“I back Paps to come back. The one positive was it was a clean break. If it been a tendon and really bad ligaments, that would be a lot worse than just a break. It wasn’t a compound fracture either, it was just a clean break,” Johns mentioned.
“They are telling me that he will back for the first training of next year. He just needs time on the training park.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
