Josh Addo-Carr of the Melbourne Storm scores a try against the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
Josh Addo-Carr of the Melbourne Storm scores a try against the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
Last Friday, the Warriors recorded a sensational victory over the high-flying Dragons - just to come crashing back down to earth against the Storm on Wednesday. Just how did Stephen Kearney's team manage to go from fabulous to woeful in just five days? Michael Burgess identifies five reasons for the Melbourne meltdown.
1. Melbourne mastery
The Storm went to another level in Melbourne on Wednesday night.
The pace, skill and awareness on show in the first half was spellbinding and would have flattened most other NRL teams.
Sure, they were helped by some naïve and uncommitted defending by the visitors, but their execution was superb, with more than 30 minutes without a single error.
The senior players in Craig Bellamy's team have clicked into gear – after what was probably a World Cup hangover – and they will be regarded as Premiership favourites once again in 2018.
The Storm stunned the Warriors with six first-half tries. Photo / Getty
2. Defensive chaos
For a 10 minute spell in the first half, the Warriors looked stuck in a time warp.
All the defensive commitment and positive attitude they had shown in the first seven rounds went out the window.
The team was disconnected and hesitant and paid a heavy price.
The injury toll also began to bite on Wednesday night.
The absence of Tohu Harris, Leivaha Pulu and James Gavet meant the team lacked some heavy hitters in the pack, and Shaun Johnson and Solomone Kata were significant losses from the backline.
But the departure of Issac Luke in the 16th minute was the telling blow.
It wouldn't have made any difference to the final result – but the team suffered without Luke's incisive runs, organization and smooth passing from dummy half.
Issac Luke's injury was a big blow. Photo / Getty
3. Craig Bellamy
No one does homework and analysis quite like the Storm mentor, who again showed his ability to nullify an opponent's strengths and exploit their weaknesses.
The Warriors had looked like Supermen for most of 2018, but Bellamy and his coaching team found the Kryptonite.
Kick in behind the Warriors' wingers – check.
Shut down their offloading game – check.
Negate the Warriors' defensive line speed by going wide early – check.
Isolate the Warriors' one on one defensively – check.
It's a template for opposition teams, which will force some re-thinking at Mt Smart over the next week.
Craig Bellamy looking on at AAMI Park. Photo / Getty
4. Battling the big occasion
If we learned anything on Wednesday night, it's that the Warriors, for all their progress this season, still struggle with expectation.
Flying under the radar is one thing, but learning to deal with the big occasion is another.
The prolonged pre-match ceremony and the significance of the night brought out the best in the Storm, while the Warriors seem to freeze in the spotlight, as has happened in several other Anzac clashes.
It remains a skeleton in the closet for the Warriors, and only more experience – and positive performances – in such big matches – can help to change that perception.
The Warriors continue to freeze on the Anzac Day stage. Photo / Photosport
5. Physical and mental fatigue
The emotional high of the Dragons' win last Friday, together with the energy needed to achieve it, was always going to take a while to bounce back from.
The Warriors put their heart and soul into beating St George Illawarra, in a match of test match intensity and fervor, where the home side survived on 37 per cent possession.
Crossing the Tasman a few days later to play the Storm was never going to be the ideal recipe, and so it proved.
The intensity of the match against the Dragons took it toll against the Storm. Photo / Photosport
