Rugby league: Storm ride waves of excitement

Storm are wary of Benji Marshall but reckon the forwards will decide the winners tonight. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

Ask Frank Ponissi if the Melbourne Storm have already played their big match in acknowledging captain Cameron Smith's 300th game last round and the football manager throws his back in laughter.

"Look, it was a big occasion and a very special night for the club," he said after the Storm's 10-try blitz in their 52-10 victory over the Penrith Panthers.

But Ponissi said the eight-day turnaround had helped their cause coming to Napier to play the Dragons today in honour of Hastings-born player Tohu Harris.

"Because we've come to a brand new venue and Tohu's home, it's brought us to another level of excitement."

Ponissi said the Melbourne rugby league franchise had a significant contingent of New Zealanders in their squad, including Harris, brothers Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Kevin Proctor and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

"We're very proud of Tohu so we've got all behind him and the weather's been marvellous," Ponissi said, adding the conditions would not be an excuse tonight.

"This is one of the tightest competitions for a very long time in the NRL so one or two losses can change the positions on a table quite dramatically," said Ponissi, grinning at the prospect of a victory pushing Melbourne into the top four. A loss, however, would see them free-falling to the back end of the top eight to avoid the playoff cut.

While Melbournites had been through the emotions of playing a crucial match on a neutral McLean Park earlier on, he said the Victorian metropolitan city was preferable but understood why they were in Napier to fulfil the wishes of the club.

"At the end of the day I think that's just an excuse, where the venue is, because it'll come down who's the best team tomorrow no matter whether we're playing in Melbourne, playing at St George or here in Napier. It should make no difference whatsoever."

The success of today's crowd, with 400 seats unsold and 3000 embankment places up for grabs by yesterday afternoon, would determine the future of McLean Park as the Storm's home away from home in New Zealand.

While a lot had been made of the halfback duel between Cooper Cronk (Storm) and Benji Marshall (Dragons) in dictating the pace of play tonight, Ponissi said: "It'll be won and lost up front in the forwards."

He added the Big Red V had an equally adept pivot alongside Marshall in Gareth Widdop.

State of Origin player Josh Dugan at fullback was their other wildcard.