The Melbourne Storm is anticipating a barrage of high bombs from Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton on Friday night—and have enlisted a kicking machine in preparation.
Storm players were seen, and heard, practising excitedly with the machine at training as coach Craig Bellamy gave his pre-match press conference.
“It’s just like a new toy, we haven’t pulled it out too much this year,” Bellamy explained with a smirk as his players laughed and shouted in the background.
“Hopefully that’s a good sign.”
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‘You just have to catch them’ says Bellamy
When asked how the Storm would attempt to stop Burton’s towering high balls, particularly given the absence of first-choice fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, Bellamy was dry and to the point.
“You don’t really, you just have to catch them,” he said.
“At the end of the day we won’t be able to stop him kicking them, unfortunately they don’t turn to the ten metres into two metres in the semi finals, so we won’t be able to get at him.
“He’ll put them up, so it’s up to our back three to catch them—hopefully.”
Despite the appearance of the kicking machine at Storm training, Bellamy explained his side’s own performance has been his greatest concern in the lead up to the qualifying final on Friday night at AAMI Park following consecutive losses to the Roosters and Broncos.
“Our form coming in hasn’t been great, so there’s no use worrying about the opposition too much before we get our own stuff right, so that’s what we’ve been concentrating on,” he said.
“It’s always nice to play to home, there’s no hiding from that fact, we’re fortunate we’re playing at home this weekend and hopefully we can make the best of it.”
Bombs away.