Ah shit, here we go again. The preseason is done. The trial matches run and done. Melbourne Storm season 26 let’s go.
But first, let’s take a trip back to a round 1 game from the past…
S01E01 – Melbourne Storm @ Illawarra Steelers
Fox League recently showed the extended highlights of the club’s first NRL competition game played at WIN Stadium on 14 March 1998. I didn’t have pay tv at the time of the game, so my recollections of the game are vague, but it was nice to see this one 25 years later.
Led out by Tawera Nikau with captain Glenn Lazarus starting from the interchange bench, Illawarra jumped out to a 12-0 lead after 25 minutes. Scott Hill scored the club’s first try just before the half hour mark, with Craig Smith adding the extras to send Melbourne back to the sheds down 12-6.
A Craig Smith penalty goal reduced the margin to four points with just over 20 minutes to go, and after missing a few chances to score through errors, a brilliant run from Scott Hill saw him get over the line for a second try to level the scores with only a few minutes left. Smith’s third goal saw Melbourne take a deserved 14-12 lead as the commentator preempted the next 25 years of anti-Melbourne sentiment:
“They come in as, you’d have to say, one of the unloved teams in the competition. Everyone’s going to enjoy beating the team from south of the border”
They will try.
Melbourne’s win was the first time since 1967 that a team had won their first competition game away from home.
Illawarra – 12 (Wilson 9’, Robinson 13’ tries; Moon 2/4 goals)
Melbourne – 14 (Hill 29’, 78’ tries; Smith 3/3 goals)
Stat pack
Melbourne have played 24 round 1 games for a 22–2 record, with losses only against the Warriors in 2000 and Bulldogs in 2002.
Parramatta and Melbourne have never met in round 1.
Parramatta have won all three meetings between the teams at CommBank Stadium, with Melbourne’s only win at the venue coming in round 1 2022 against Wests Tigers.
Melbourne had a 8–7 record at Parramatta Stadium, for an overall 24–18 record against the Eels from 42 matches.
Parramatta have won their last four matches against Melbourne, their longest streak against the Storm.
Melbourne need 12 points to pass 16,000 NRL points, having scored 15,988 points from 655 games (average 24.41).
Team line-up
Nick Meaney
Will Warbick (NRL debut)
Remis Smith
Young Tonumaipea
Xavier Coates (50th NRL game)
Cameron Munster
Jahrome Hughes
Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Harry Grant
Christian Welch ©
Trent Loiero
Elisa Katoa (Storm debut)
Josh King
Tyran Wishart
Alec MacDonald
Chris LewisJordan Grant
Grant Anderson
Bronson Garlick (NRL debut)
Preview
With the departures in the forwards and injuries in the backline, Melbourne look particularly vulnerable away from home in round 1 up against 2022 grand finalists Parramatta.
Christian Welch’s return should help the forward pack find meters, but there were signs during the trials that Melbourne’s middle defence looked more suspect than in the past. The long-awaited debut of Will Warbrick will be one to watch, it will be interesting to see if he matches up against Maika Sivo or former Storm winger Isaac Lumelume. Indeed it would make perfect sense for Melbourne to target the Fijian who showed some poor defensive skills in his previous NRL games and couldn’t crack a very poor Canterbury backline in 2022.
Melbourne will do well to not fall behind early and go into panic mode, but if they’re still in the game at the hour mark, hopefully the round 1 magic run can continue.