High-flying Storm expecting bounce back from Bulldogs
Melissa Woods |
Celebrating a club membership record and sell-out matches, the Storm are expecting Canterbury players to respond to their coach’s stinging criticism as they attempt to spoil the party in their crunch battle in Melbourne.
The Storm announced this week their biggest tally in the club’s 27-year history, signing up 40,237 members, while they are headed for their third full house of the season at AAMI Park on Friday night – also a new mark.
While Melbourne are flying high after stopping in-form Penrith’s run last round for their fourth straight win, the Bulldogs are spluttering, losing two of their past four.
First on the ladder for 13 consecutive weeks earlier in the year, Canterbury need a win over the Storm to keep alive their hopes of a top-two ladder finish.
Following last week’s lacklustre 20-point loss to Sydney Roosters, coach Cameron Ciraldo put his Bulldogs players on notice that he was prepared to swing the axe if he didn’t see a lift in intensity.
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy expected the visitors to bring their best in the high-stakes clash.
“The Bulldogs were testing everyone and probably the last couple of weeks they probably haven’t been where they were early in the season, but we expect them to come back on Friday night so we’ve got to make sure we’re ready to go for a real tough game,” Bellamy said on Thursday.
“It’s a pretty big game – two teams (from) the top four – and at this time of year we all want to be playing the best we can.
“We know that they’re going to come down here and add a bit of physicalness to their game.”
Ryan Papenhuyzen is set to resume at fullback after missing the Panthers match through concussion, which will see Cameron Munster return to his usual play-making duties.
Injured halfback Jahrome Hughes remains pencilled in for a return in their final round clash against Brisbane.
Bellamy was impressed with the resilience shown by his players in the week-to-week backline shuffle, with Jonah Pezet and Tyran Wishart the latest halves combination.
“Losing halfbacks are usually a pretty tough thing but we seem to have got through that OK and we’ve gone through it a few different ways too.
“We’ve sort of managed our way through that and at the same time it gives those players a bit more experience in those positions.
“Jonah played well – we knows what he’s good at – organising the game and his kicking game are his real strengths and he really stuck to them well last week and he’s done a great job for us.”
Meanwhile, Bellamy denied the Storm were in the mix to lure Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui back to club, where he played in 2019-2020.
“I can honestly say that’s the first time I heard that this morning,” Bellamy said.
“So I guess the recruitment guys are keeping it from me, or who knows … we’d certainly like to have him back, but yeah, I’m not quite sure he’d fit back into our cap at the moment.”
AAP
