Round 9 of the NRL sees two desperate teams face off at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, with neither the Storm nor Dolphins tasting victory since March.
Dolphins vs Melbourne Storm
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said after last week’s loss to the Rabbitohs that he was the “most embarrassed” he’s ever been.
That sums up where the Storm are at right now. They’ve lost six straight, leaking an average of 40.5 points over the last four rounds.
The Dolphins have been better without much reward, sitting 2-5. They’ve gone down by two to the Warriors and by one to the Panthers in their last two.
Leg 1 - Storm to Win
Bellamy has made changes, dropping Joe Chan, Cooper Clarke and Trent Loiero, and bringing in fresh faces.
Add in the absence of Jahrome Hughes and the six-game losing streak, and it’s clear why Melbourne are underdogs.
But great teams respond. It’s not if the Storm bounce back, it’s when. Expect a sharper performance and a much-needed win.
Leg 2 - Away Team Over 24.5 Points
Melbourne have averaged 31 points across their four meetings with the Dolphins and should find points again here.
Fresh legs in the pack will help, while the spine of Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen still provides plenty of strike.
After recent struggles, attack will be a major focus this week.
Leg 3 - Connelly Lemuelu to Score
Melbourne’s reshuffled pack could open up opportunities through the middle for the Dolphins.
Lemuelu was strong last week and works well on the edge with Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.
The Dolphins often use their edge forwards as second-phase options, which should give Lemuelu chances to cross.
Same Game Multi
Storm to Win / Away Team Over 24.5 Points / Lemuelu to Score = $10.50
Value Bet - Storm 13+ @ $5.25
If Melbourne win, it likely won’t be by a narrow margin. This could be a release of six weeks of frustration.
There’s also a scenario where the Dolphins fall away. Two tough losses in a row can take a toll, and if they fall behind early, confidence could drop quickly.
That opens the door for the Storm to run up a score.
