MATCH CENTRE
MATCH CENTRE
PRELIMINARY FINALS

STORM

V

BRONCOS

StormMEL WIN BY 30
30
FT
0
AAMI Park
2017-09-22T09:55:00Z

Preview

As a club, the Storm are no strangers to the big stage having appeared in nine preliminary finals over the last 12 years however as Billy Slater said on Tuesday, "if you're not nervous at this time of the year, it doesn't mean enough to you."

The Broncos head into Melbourne with a dismal record against Wayne Bennett's former protégé and his men having won just 4 out of 23 matches since the 2006 decider.

Speed and decisiveness is what will give the Broncos a red-hot chance - both with and without the ball - this Friday night as the likes of James Roberts and Jordan Kahu must use their quickness and agility to their advantage while their back rowers need to pressure Melbourne's mobile big men at the line in order to give themselves the best chance to upset the heavy favourites.

Melbourne remain unchanged from their nail-biting win over the Eels a fortnight ago in what many believe is a blueprint on how to take down the Storm juggernaut. Darius Boyd's inclusion is a massive boost for the Broncos while Tevita Pangai Junior gives them some added muscle on the bench.

Both sides are capable of racking up a big score and have proven that over the course of the season and it is both sides right edge doing much of the damage. Together, they have score an astonishing 89 tries in 2017 on the right side of their attack with Suliasi Vunivalu and Corey Oates doing much of the damage. Oates, at this stage, has passed all precautions necessary to line up this Friday following a sickening collision last weekend in what will prove to be a big match up between the two wingers.

Will Chambers and James Roberts both have had elite seasons in the centres and are also a big reason as to why both teams have been successful down that side of the field. Defensively is where the problem lies for the Broncos as they've conceded 33 tries to Melbourne's 18 in that part of the field.

With Benji Marshall returning to the bench, both of Brisbane's halves will have the chance to put on a show against the very side that put in big offers for their talents in recent months. Anthony Milford's finals series has been somewhat subdued so far while Kodi Nikorima excelled at the back in Boyd's absence. Finally, Ben Hunt will need to continue his impressive run of form if he's to extend his Bronco career by one more game.

The Storm are the best side in the league - they've scored the most points and conceded the least - but a side with belief can take down anyone on their day and that's exactly what the Broncos have right now.

For Brisbane, to them, it doesn't matter what personnel take the park as they believe as a collective that they can get the job done. In saying that, in a game that will mark the final time Melbourne's Big 3 run out together at AAMI Park, it'll be mighty hard to end Cooper Cronk's Melbourne career in front of over 25,000 adoring fans.

Storm by 12.

Team Lists

Team Stats


Storm

Broncos

All Runs
MATCH
181.7
2023 AVG.
4906
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
183
2023 AVG.
4940
2023 TOTAL
All Run Metres
MATCH
1643.1
2023 AVG.
44363
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
1765.1
2023 AVG.
47658
2023 TOTAL
Line Breaks
MATCH
4.9
2023 AVG.
132
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
6
2023 AVG.
161
2023 TOTAL
Offloads
MATCH
9.1
2023 AVG.
246
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
10.8
2023 AVG.
292
2023 TOTAL
Kick Metres
MATCH
555.4
2023 AVG.
14995
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
564.6
2023 AVG.
15245
2023 TOTAL
Forty Twenty Kicks
MATCH
0.1
2023 AVG.
2
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
0.1
2023 AVG.
4
2023 TOTAL
Tackles Made
MATCH
333.3
2023 AVG.
8999
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
311.4
2023 AVG.
8408
2023 TOTAL
Missed Tackles
MATCH
36.2
2023 AVG.
977
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
32.4
2023 AVG.
876
2023 TOTAL
Penalties
MATCH
6.4
2023 AVG.
172
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
5.4
2023 AVG.
145
2023 TOTAL
Errors
MATCH
9.9
2023 AVG.
266
2023 TOTAL
2023 AVG.
2023 TOTAL
11.3
2023 AVG.
305
2023 TOTAL

Player Stats



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