Josh Mercer previews the ANZAC Day clash between the Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Melbourne Storm Vs New Zealand Warriors
Venue: AAMI Stadium, Melbourne
Date: Tuesday 25 April 6:30pm
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. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 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. Grant Anderson 19. Aaron Pene 20. Tyran Wishart 21. Jonah Pezet 22. Jack Howarth
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Marcelo Montoya 4. Adam Pompey 5. Edward Kosi 6. Dylan Walker 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Jazz Tevaga 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Bayley Sironen 15. Josh Curran 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Tom Ale 18. Viliami Vailea 20. Taine Tuaupiki 21. Ronald Volkman 22. Demitric Sifakula 23. Zyon Maiu’u
Referee: Grant Atkins
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
After looking like the Storm of old, the team from Melbourne were brought back to reality against the Sea Eagles.
While it was their execution that let them down (though it was wet), their discipline was probably worse. The Storm had two players sent to the sin bin, Justin Olam and Tui Kamikamica, for late hits on Daly Cherry-Evans. Craig Bellamy would not have been impressed with either of those lapses in judgement, especially Olam’s.
After losing in Round 6 to the Knights, the Warriors got back into the winner’s circle by beating the Cowboys. Without Te Maire Martin and Wade Egan, most people would be forgiven for thinking it might have been a Cowboys victory across the Tasman.
New coach Andrew Webster has done wonders with this team, and it will be exciting to see them in a position to compete for the finals (of course, it is still early in the season). Shaun Johnson has turned back the clock and is playing some good football.
The Warriors can win this one, depending on if the same undisciplined Storm show up on game day. But the Storm should have enough experience to get over the line.
LAST TEN MATCHES
Storm 10, Warriors 0.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Storm by 4 points.
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