This was published 7 years ago
Melbourne Storm aim for business as usual ahead of home preliminary final
By Roy Ward
No hype, no fuss.
Melbourne Storm will shun the spotlight in the lead-up to their preliminary final at AAMI Park next Saturday night as they attempt to return the NRL grand final for the first time since 2012.
Jordan McLean is managing his ankle week to week.
The Storm walked the same path to last year's home preliminary final which they lost to eventual premiers North Queensland Cowboys and this year the team wants to remove all points of difference from the team's weekly schedule.
Last year the club heavily promoted the game including hosting a Sunday open training with their work leading to a sell-out game.
But this time they are avoiding non-essential additions and maintaining a strong training schedule including an intra-club opposed session this Saturday while their potential opponents, Canberra Raiders and Penrith Panthers, will be fighting it out in the elimination semi-final in Canberra.
Storm utility Kenny Bromwich said the club had learnt some lessons from the two-week preparation for last year's home final.
"Last year we got a bit of time off come this time, this year we'll be in routine and just training as if we have a game this week," Bromwich said on Tuesday.
"We will have a little hit out with the boys on Saturday and train hard."
There are major differences between the 2015 and 2016 Storm sides and their respective lead-ups to the finals as last year the side had a draining schedule of interstate trips to Queensland and Sydney in the last few rounds and the first week of the finals.
This year the Storm have enjoyed an unprecedented three straight home games over the final two rounds and first week of finals.
By the time they run out next Saturday night they will have spent five weeks at home, something no one in the club can remember happening in a season before.
"We know we will have a really, really tough game no matter who we come against," Bromwich said.
"I think the boys have learned their lessons from last year and will go into the game with a good preparation."
There will be some added fanfare come next week as superstar halfback Cooper Cronk will play his 300th NRL game in the preliminary final but even that is expected to be handed in a similar way to Cameron Smith's 300th which came during the regular season last year.
The Storm's consistency has returned to being their calling card this season and the side has taken confidence from this.
The only injury worry for the Storm is lock Dale Finucane who hurt his ankle in the win over the Cowboys and had scans earlier this week.
Finucane is expected to be kept off the training track this week and even early next week but Storm officials remain confident he will prove his fitness in time for the preliminary final.
Storm prop Jordan McLean has overcome ankle problems of his own this year and he said he was managing his ankle week to week.
"It's still a bit 'how are you going' after games but I'm icing it up and it's something you just have to do," McLean said on Tuesday.
"I don't think anyone plays at 100 per cent in the comp, you just have to get by with it."
McLean enjoyed a few days rest after the Storm's win but he and his teammates were told to keep their intensity high at training over the next two weeks.
"Mentally and physically it will be good for the team," McLean said of the two-week preparation.
"I'm sure we will still be training at a high intensity just as Craig [Bellamy] would like but to have a few days off will be good.
"I'm pretty sure there will be one opposed session against each other, it will be a kind of dress rehearsal for next Saturday night."