The Serve

Storm to beat overrated Eels

I firmly believe the Melbourne Storm will beat Parramatta and make consecutive grand finals.

Telstra Dome won’t diminish Melbourne’s advantage. The Storm will have spent a good portion of the week there, so they will be accustomed. They’ll have at least 80% of the crowd, but this is a side that doesn’t need any help.

I think we’ve all got carried away with what the Eels did last week. The Riddell try was fluky, the Tahu try was a presentation, and Canterbury had no Sonny Bill and were playing terribly. It took ages and ages for the Eels to get rid of a team playing miserably, so their form line isn’t all that good.

Tim Smith and Brett Finch certainly have the ability to be up to the grade, but this is their weak link. If you look at the three other teams that made the preliminary finals, you see Thurston, Orford and Cronk.

Pretty good number sevens.

History proves you have to have a very good halfback to win a premiership. Craig Polla-Mounter won a comp in 1995, and he might be one of the few exceptions to my theory, but then again he wasn’t too dusty either.

Smith is still yet to prove himself on the big stage.

The only chink I see in the Storm armour is their lead in. Since the McIntyre system was introduced, teams having the week off are batting at eight wins and eight losses (before Manly’s win). Melbourne arrive at this point having played some very soft games, including a final against a horribly weakened Brisbane, Gold Coast, as well as a bye.

They might be underdone, however I cannot believe a side coached by Craig Bellamy could possibly be underdone.

Melbourne to win.