2023 NRL Preview Round 6: Storm Vs Roosters

Dylan Jhugroo previews the Round 6 clash between the Melbourne Storm and the Sydney Roosters.

MATCHDAY NEWS

MATCHDAY SCHEDULE

Melbourne Storm Vs Sydney Roosters
Venue: AAMI Park
Date: Thursday April 6, 7:50pm

MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS

Storm: 1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Justin Olam 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Trent Loiero 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Bronson Garlick 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Tom Eisenhuth 17. Tariq Sims 18. Jordan Grant 19. Grant Anderson 20. Tyran Wishart 21. Jack Howarth 22. Jonah Pezet

Roosters: 1. Joseph Manu 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii 4. Drew Hutchison 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Egan Butcher 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Jake Turpin 15. Terrell May 16. Corey Allan 17. Fletcher Baker 18. Naufahu Whyte 19. Paul Momirovski 20. Sandon Smith 21. Siua Wong 22. Ben Thomas

Referee: Ashley Klein

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MATCHDAY PREVIEW

Joseph Manu will indeed be playing fullback as the two most dominant clubs of the 21st century go head-to-head in a match that’ll give one side a world of confidence, and send the other back to the drawing board.

The Storm welcome back star halfback Jahrome Hughes from suspension – he’ll be looking to repay both his coach and his teammates by putting the resurgent Roosters to the sword. But Melbourne managed well without him last week, with some incredible goal-line defence getting them over the favoured South Sydney Rabbitohs. Bellamy will be ordering more of the same this week from his side, whose greatest ever sides have been built on that exact ruthless defensive attitude.

The Roosters, on the other hand, will be without Australian skipper James Tedesco, but welcome back Kiwis star Manu to slot into the fullback position. The Roosters impressed last week, dominating a Parramatta side who had beaten premiers Penrith the week before. The traditionally slow-starting Roosters are carrying a bit more early-season form this year, but they’ll need every ounce of it to get over the Storm in Melbourne.

KEY MATCHUP: Normally there are a few different positional battles that could feature here in any given game. This is not one of those games. Thursday night will be about Brandon Smith returning to face the club he won the 2020 premiership with. The Cheese has kicked into gear for the Roosters in recent weeks, and will play the vital role of keeping the iron-clad Storm defence in check around the ruck, creating space for his playmakers out wide.

How do you counter him? Enter Smith’s great mate Harry Grant. I don’t need to tell you how good Grant is, I’d be wasting your time and mine. The heir to Cameron Smith has grown in leaps and bounds since coming into first grade with the Wests Tigers, and he’ll have his eyes set on his former teammate come Thursday night.

UNDER PRESSURE: Whilst he is by no means under pressure to keep his position, Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary will have gone to sleep every night this week with nightmares of barnstoming backrower Eliesa Katoa running his way. The playmaker is a tenacious defender, but he’ll have to be at his very best to contain one of the most potent weapons in the Melbourne side.

LAST TEN MATCHES

Storm 6, Roosters 4.

MATCHDAY PREDICTION

Roosters by four points.

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