The Melbourne Storm has experienced a rollercoaster season, alternating between wins and losses while facing off against various teams. The team is looking forward to State of Origin II. Everyone in the coaching staff and locker room are focused on developing consistency and raising the level of their training. Recently, the Storm has secured victories against lower-tier teams, but they succumbed to defeats against the Raiders and Sharks, raising questions about their current form.
Coach Craig Bellamy leads his team through these ups and downs, seeking to diagnose and address any issues that may be impacting their performance. The Storm have turned in their fair share of fantastic performances this season. They opened the season on a tremendous note by scoring 50 points on the Eels. An embarrassing defeat at home to the D.C. Dragons has everyone from the sideline to the weekend warriors hungry for the rebound.
Recent Performance Overview
The Storm’s recent games have resulted in a jumble of outcomes. They opened the season with a pair of impressive wins, but have struggled against superior competition. Their most recent game against the Philadelphia Eagles emphasized both the good and the bad.
On one particular try, Tom Dearden threw a backhanded bomb directly over his shoulder. Paulo pounced and reassuringly slotted home from the left flank. This minute underscored the squad’s upside when everything clicks. Cameron Munster did his best with a creative booming high kick targeted at Xavier Coates. For his part, Coates then inspired Derby to drop the ball.
Defensively, though, Big Nelson Asofa Solomona was a wrecking ball – check out the way he distorted Viliami Vailea’s face with a massive shoulder charge. He recorded seven tackle busts for a total of 80 metres gained, highlighting his as an attacking weapon and on the defensive side of the ball. Harry Grant’s brilliance meant this team flourished on the halfback’s game management. He made a great one-on-one strip as he surprised Jeremiah Nanai to set up Jahrome Hughes for his second try of the half.
More so than their luminous plays, the Storm were hampered by their lack of rhythm in most of their games. Referee Grant Atkins noted the need for clarity in their game strategy, stating, “Trent’s no good. He’s the one to talk to.”
Focus on Training and Consistency
Ahead of the Storm’s defence of State of Origin II this evening, Bellamy said it was vital to work on fine tuning their training schedule. Perhaps most importantly, he’s identified areas where the department should improve in order to raise their profile performance wide. This sharpened focus is meant to allow the young team to get their competitive footing while developing a better base to take on greater challenges ahead.
First, let’s take a look at some of the areas we may have overlooked in preparing for the training. With a little concerted work, we can establish some uniformity! Bellamy remarked. We have to figure out how to get those strategies working for our game. Next, we can work to be more consistent with those methods.
Just as the team members are training and preparing intensely, they are all potentially facing changes to the personnel around them. There is speculation that Daly Cherry-Evans could be swapped out for Tom Dearden as they solidify their lineup for the crucial match ahead.
Looking Ahead to State of Origin II
With SOO II fast approaching, Billy Slater is still in war room mode, game planning with his team. The competition is fierce and the tension is thick as players battle each other to earn their place in the starting lineup. Both injury and performance issues are presently bedeviling its roster. This puts even more importance on the selection process and how this team is going to stack up when playing elite competition.
The coaching staff needs to know that consistency will be key with their approach going forward. As they prepare for one of the season’s biggest matches, players need to raise their levels of play. They will need to work smartly together if they hope to win.
