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NRL Finals 2016: Melbourne Storm balance emotions for Cooper Cronk's 300th game
By Roy Ward
Sporting finals have always been a balancing act between emotion and focus, rugby league is no different.
Melbourne Storm will be aiming for a calm centre in a momentous week in the club's history climaxing with their home preliminary final against Canberra Raiders at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
Super trooper: Melbourne Storm halfback Cooper Cronk will mark a 300-game milestone on Saturday night.Credit: Getty Images
Star halfback Cooper Cronk will play his 300th game in the prelim and the one-club playmaker will deserve all the plaudits that will come his way, while popular stars Blake Green and Marika Koroibete will be bidding their farewell to home supporters before moves to Manly Sea Eagles and Super Rugby club Melbourne Rebels respectively.
The Storm will go into the preliminary final as favourites after winning the minor premiership and beating 2015 premiers North Queensland Cowboys in the qualifying final. But the Raiders convincingly beat the Storm in Canberra 22-8 on August 15 so have every confidence they can win.
Reflected glory: Projections of Storm stars at AAMI Park.Credit: Scott Barbour
Football director Frank Ponissi said the Storm had planned out their week to make sure Cronk and the departing players would be celebrated
But he also said keeping emotions in check would be crucial in the charged atmosphere of a preliminary final.
"It's rare to have a milestone like this in a preliminary final but it only adds to the occasion," Ponissi said. "The week off has been a blessing in disguise as we could map out our fortnight and build Cooper's 300th in there.
"We have to give total respect to the achievement as only 25 [NRL] players have done this and we purposely have made sure this doesn't get lost in the build-up to the preliminary final.
"But we still have to do everything we can to win the game in the 80 minutes. We know everyone will be up for this one but emotions can go over the top – we all need to keep ourselves in check."
The Storm have already lost imposing prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona for the rest of the finals after he dislocated his elbow at training last week, but they have had better news on lock Dale Finucane who injured his ankle in the qualifying final.
He is one of only four Storm players to have played all 25 games this season and has been vital to their success.
"He is really confident in himself about playing," Ponissi said. "We both commented that if [Raiders star] Josh Hodgson could play over the weekend after injuring his ankle then Dale can do it 14 days later.
"The next few days will still be important for Dale but he has left no stone unturned in his rehabilitation.
"Dale has been invaluable this year because he plays long minutes and takes the pressure off our bench as most of the season we have only made two or three interchanges before half-time and Dale is a big part of how we do that – he's an important part of our game."
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart didn't buy into the game other clubs have played in accusing the Storm of wrestling players around the ruck, but he made it clear referees had to make sure they policed the rucks and the defensive line to make sure his powerful forward pack could play the ball quickly.
"What pleased me today was that it was 10 metres and there was an interpretation in the ruck. That's what pleased me, because you're allowed to play football," he said after the Raiders' semi-final win over Penrith Panthers on Saturday night.
"I'm not one of those coaches who's going to come out and start having a shot about wrestle – which seems to happen every time some team plays against Melbourne – not at all.
"Last week, there was no interpretation about the ruck, last week there was no 10 metres. And when you're a football team like ours that want to play with the football and enjoy attacking flow, the interpretations didn't allow it last week."
Ponissi said he agreed with Stuart the semi-final was well officiated.
"I don't think either team could walk away from that game with referee issues," Ponissi said. "If we had played in that game we wouldn't have had any issues with it either.
"I think the secret with the Raiders is stopping their go-forward from the middle through to their edges then Hodgson on the end of that.
"Their right edge is renowned for being their best and when they have room they are dangerous, but their left edge is very dangerous. We will need every man on board and be good in all areas defensively against the Raiders."
The Storm play Canberra Raiders for a place in the NRL grand final at AAMI Park on Saturday night at 7.40pm.
– with AAP