Melbourne Storm NRL 2018 Season Preview

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• Author: Alex Christodoulou
  Mar 08, 2018 03:39 AM
• AAP

No Cronk, No worries

Key Ins: Sam Kasiano (Bulldogs), Ryan Hoffman (Warriors), Sandor Earl (Free agent)

Key Outs: Cooper Cronk (Roosters), Tohu Harris (Warriors), Jordan McLean (Cowboys)

Overview

The Melbourne Storm of 2017 will go down as one of the greatest sporting teams Australia has ever seen. They were near flawless in their runaway minor premiership and then their Grand Final win, playing in a way that was both exhilarating in attack, and also stingy in defence. 

It was also the last time that we saw the Slater, Smith, and Cronk trio that has been one of the most dominant and all-conquering spines of all time: for club, state and country. With Cronk's move to the Roosters, and Slater and Smith unlikely to play beyond this season, 2018 shapes as the last hurrah of the Melbourne Storm dynasty. However, the future is far from gloomy for the ironically named Storm, with Brodie Croft touted as the 'new Cooper Cronk' given he boasts an uncanny resemblence in both looks and playing style to the Maroons and Kangaroos halfback.

Melbourne's supreme dominance and all-round quality in 2017 was really brought out in the stats. Melbourne ranked first for tries scored per game (4.67), but also remarkably they conceded the fewest tries at their end (2.38 per game). Any team that manages to score the most points but concede the least is a rare occurrence and truly exemplified the supremacy of Craig Bellamy's men last season.

An elite perfectionist, you'd find it hard to imagine Bellamy expecting anything less than back-to-back premierships this year. He will encounter no difficulties in re-motivating his players for another tilt at the grand-final trophy, with interesting off-season recruits set to bring some fresh air to the Storm.

Player to watch: Hard to go past the twenty-year-old Croft, who has impressed in his limited game time for the Storm. Last season, Croft played four games and scored four tries, which is an incredible return for a halfback. He will be looking to make the most of his year with Smith and Slater, soaking up all of their footballing wisdom.

Key player: Cameron Munster - that's right Munster, will hold the key to Melbourne's season this year. An established origin player, Munster has been the overshadowed player at the Storm amongst his record-breaking spine colleagues. However, the departure of Cronk, and the luming retirement of Slater and Smith, gives Munster the opportunity to flaunt his ball-playing and running talent to make his mark on the team.

Forward pack rating 7/10

The thought of facing man-mountains Sam Kasiano and Nelson Asofa-Solomona in the same team will surely strike fear into the weaker forward packs in the competion. The skillful and underrated Felise Kaufusi, and return of veteran Ryan Hoffman will stabilize the pack, while the losses of both Tohu Harris and Jordan McLean will leave the pack weaker than last season. 

Outside backs rating 9/10

Suliasi Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr are the most formidable wing-combination in the league, with each winger scoring 23 tries in an NRL high last season. Queensland origin stalwart Will Chambers provides calmness and experience in the centres, whilst the acquisition of enigmatic figure of Sandor Earl could well prove to be the signing of the offseason. 

Spine rating 8/10

While it's Munster's time to shine at five-eighth, the uber-competative Billy Slater at fullback and Cameron Smith at hooker will be determined to put in yet another stellar performance. Croft may need a few rounds but expect him to get into the swing of things fairly quickly.