Storm big four can’t find killer instinct to land title
George Clarke |
The chance for Melbourne’s star-studded spine to win an NRL premiership in the post-Cameron Smith era is fading into the distance after falling to a second-straight grand final defeat.
The Storm came up short on the game’s biggest stage once more, blowing a 10-point lead against Brisbane as the Broncos claimed a 26-22 win to end a 19-year premiership drought.
Prior to Sunday, Melbourne had won 29 consecutive finals when ahead at halftime.
But under pressure from a Brisbane side inspired by Reece Walsh they couldn’t get the job done.
“I don’t think we were overly smart,” said Storm coach Craig Bellamy, whose side’s wait for a title will stretch into a sixth season.
That’s a small drought by the standards of almost every other NRL club, but it is considerable when taking into account the stability Bellamy has enjoyed over that period and the brilliance he has had at his disposal.
When Smith followed fellow members of the big three – Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater – into retirement after winning the 2020 grand final, Melbourne looked to be in rude health.
Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen had just won the Clive Churchill Medal in that year’s grand final, Jahrome Hughes was coming into his own as a halfback and Cameron Munster’s attacking flair meant that he was widely viewed as one of the NRL’s best players.
And in Harry Grant, the Storm had a long-term replacement for Smith at hooker who had just cut his teeth at Wests Tigers.
The big three were now the big four and they were supposed to kickstart a new era of success for Melbourne.
Munster nearly wasn’t a part of the picture after going desperately close to leaving and being a part of the Dolphins’ inaugural NRL season.
The five-eighth reneged on signing that deal after watching Penrith clinch the 2022 grand final and remained at the Storm with the stated ambition of winning another crowd.
But so far he, Hughes, Papenhuyzen and Grant have been unable to deliver and their chances of lifting one together appear to be diminishing.
Hughes and Munster are both north of 30 and the latter is already being eyed off to be the face of the Perth Bears when they enter the competition in 2027.
Perth will be able to talk to prospective players from next month and if they don’t land Munster they are likely to make a play for rising Melbourne prospect Jonah Pezet.
Papenhuyzen too has been spoken of as a target for start-up rugby union franchise R360.
But on the biggest stage, Papenhuyzen was upstaged and gunned down by Broncos counterpart Walsh, who led Brisbane’s fightback against a Storm side that lost Jack Howarth to injury.
“We probably had to change the game style a little bit or just roll the sleeves up a bit more,” Grant said.
“We didn’t fully take our moments in terms of completions and icing those opportunities.”
Hughes scored a try and was involved in plenty but he, Munster and Grant failed to show the ruthless instinct to kill off Brisbane when they had them by the throat.
Smith wouldn’t have let that happen. Perhaps that’s why the Storm’s wait for a premiership will continue.
AAP
