League: Blair becoming a matchwinner - Bellamy

Kiwis prop Adam Blair tops the Dally M player of the year standings with Warriors captain Steve Price. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Melbourne prop Adam Blair is maturing into a matchwinner, according to Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

After two rounds the Kiwis international has blasted out of the blocks to poll five Dally M votes from a possible six to jointly lead the competition to determine the NRL's best player alongside Warriors skipper Steve Price.

His performances ensure he'll be one of the first players picked for the Storm's third round encounter with the Cowboys in Townsville on Saturday night.

Bellamy says last year's World Cup contributed to Blair's coming of age.

"The games I saw I thought he was probably the form forward in the World Cup," he said.

"That obviously gives him a lot of confidence, he's certainly a starting prop with us now and he's been very impressive in the pre-season and in the first two games.

"His biggest challenge will be to have the consistency to do that week-in, week-out.

The coach said Blair had also developed physically, which had bolstered his game.

"As a frontrower, he's only 22 so he's got a lot more maturing to do but I think he's gone from being a boy to a man this year," he said.

"His strength levels and his size, he's matured in his body."

Bellamy has retained the squad which lost by two points to the Broncos last Friday night, with New Zealand international Sika Manu added to the bench following an injury layoff.

Centre Willie Isa has been named despite a poor showing against Brisbane and the fact he will front the NRL judiciary tonight.

Isa will plead not guilty to a grade one dangerous contact charge with Joseph Tomane named on a six-man bench as cover.

"He didn't have the happiest of games but he's only a young guy, it's his third first grade game I think," Bellamy said.

"Playing with a new club and new system it's not easy ... there's been established players who've played 200 games and had unhappy games so we'll stick with him and I'm sure he'll get better the more games he gets under his belt."

Bellamy conceded the Storm's inconsistent attack was still a concern.

"It hasn't been all that cohesive but we've played a couple of good defensive teams so I'm not going to jump off any bridges yet.

"We've got some new combinations there so they need to work it out."

- AAP