NRL: Melbourne target Finch

Halfback Brett Finch cut ties with the Eels last week. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Melbourne plans to pursue former Parramatta half Brett Finch despite a promising performance by debutant James Maloney at five-eighth in their win over Penrith in the National Rugby League (NRL).

The Storm edged a 16-14 victory at Olympic Park on Saturday night in a hard-fought, yet scrappy affair.

Former Newtown Jet Maloney, 22, started the match at five-eighth, allowing Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith to play in their preferred positions of centre and hooker.

He delivered a solid showing in another under-par effort by Melbourne, impressing coach Craig Bellamy.

"I thought he done a really good job defensively, a good job running the footy and as he plays more and more with us he'll improve his passing game and the combinations with different people around him," Bellamy said.

However with former NSW halfback Finch on the market after surprisingly cutting ties with the Eels last week, the Storm have publicly declared their interest.

Captain Smith, writing in his column in The Australian, said he'd "love to have him in Melbourne".

"He would be a huge buy for us particularly with the dramas we are having with five-eighth at the moment," Smith wrote.

Bellamy also admitted he was a Finch fan.

"If we can fit Brett in here, the style of game he plays is really be suited to our club," the coach said.

"I know him personally and think he'd really fit in really well socially and into the team culture but there are a lot of things to get through.

"He's got to sort out his pay-out with Parramatta and decide whether he wants to play in the NRL or England.

"The biggest stumbling block for us will be the salary cap."

After the match, when the Storm only managed two tries, Bellamy made the bold admission that their attacking woes were his fault.

The wily coach, who has taken his side to three successive minor premierships, surprisingly said he hadn't adjusted his team to the new rule changes which include the introduction of a second referee and quicker play around the ruck.

"I can't ask too much more of the guys' effort, with our attack at the moment ... we're still struggling obviously but that's more my problem than the players," Bellamy said.

"I'm not coaching them well enough with the two referees and a couple of things that happened out there, I have to change a couple of things on my mind-set."

"Part of my outlook on it, just doesn't match what's happening out there at the moment, the game's changed a little bit and I didn't realise it's changed that much."

Melbourne centre Will Chambers faces a nervous wait after being placed on report for an alleged dangerous lifting tackle that forced Penrith fullback Lachlan Coote temporarily from the field with jaw and neck pains.

- AAP