The warmth is on Melbourne Storm’s ahead pack amid solutions it has misplaced its long-standing worry and intimidation issue heading into Friday evening’s preliminary closing in opposition to Penrith.
Chief Fox League rugby league reporter James Hooper believes feedback from James Graham and Aaron Woods on NRL 360 this week might even be used as motivation as Craig Bellamy’s workforce faces the final word take a look at in opposition to the mighty Panthers pack.
Graham and Woods mentioned it was clear Melbourne’s pack was not what it as soon as was.
“The thing with Melbiourne is, one of their trademarks that they were so well known for was their controlling of the rucks. They had an identity you’d feel as a player — you knew when you were in a Melbourne Storm-style tackle,” Graham mentioned on Tuesday evening.
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“Whether it’s a personnel issue or not, it’s just not been there. They haven’t managed to have that
“And that reputation, you’re really thinking when you’re going out there, am I going to have to play a bit differently to counteract it? But they don’t have that reputation any more.”
Woods recommended the losses of Felise Kaufusi, together with Jesse and Kenny Bromwich to the Dolphins had been an enormous half within the Storm shedding their aura. While Nelson Asofa-Solomona stays an intimidating determine, Hooper mentioned the likes of skipper Christian Welch and Tui Kamikamica wanted to face up.
“It’s become personal (for the Storm) this week because there’s been a lot of commentary around the Melbourne storm and the fact that, if you take Nelson out of that starting pack and all of a sudden it’s workers, it’s up and comers.
“But there’s a bit of an element of (suggesting it’s) a pop gun pack and I think that’s been specifically aimed at Melbourne’s front rowers.
“… I’ve got no doubt that (the criticism) will be getting tapped into by the Melbourne Storm … they’ll be looking to tap into every one per cent edge and I thought it was cutting and 100 per cent spot on criticism
“They have lost a bit of that fear factor without the Bromich brothers and without Felise Kaufusi.”
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NRL legend Gorden Tallis added:“You watch (James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota) at Penrith and the job they’ve done … they’re ready for the big occasion.
“It’s not just on Nelson (for the Storm), it’s the other guys. It’s gotta be a whole eight-man pack siege mentally if Melbourne Storm want to get the job done. They’ve just got to go at them and it’s got to be every man’s job.
“You’ve got to make it personal.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
