FIVE BIG QUESTIONS AHEAD OF THE NRL PRELIMINARY FINAL BETWEEN MELBOURNE AND CRONULLA
Melbourne v Cronulla
NRL second preliminary final
AAMI Park, Saturday 7.40pm September 21
* WILL MELBOURNE’S MILESTONE-GAME HEROICS RETURN?
The Storm have traditionally made a point of turning up for big games – the fact Cameron Smith won his 50th, 100th, 150th, 200th, 250th, 300th, 350th and record-breading 356th NRL games is testament to that. But this year they’ve lost both Billy Slater’s 300th and Craig Bellamy’s 400th as a coach. Friday’s clash is Slater’s last game in Melbourne before retirement, and it will be his last in the NRL if they can’t lift for it.
* HOW MUCH WILL THE SHARKS MISS WADE GRAHAM?
Cronulla’s relatively strong record over Melbourne (they’ve won four of their past five) is based on their ability to niggle and win ugly, and few do that better than the injured Wade Graham. The Sharks have won seven of eight without their co-captain this year, but how much will they miss the man known for wearing down opposition playmakers on Friday night?
* IS THERE ANY STOPPING VALENTINE HOLMES?
When Cronulla beat Melbourne to claim the 2016 grand final, Ben Barba was the x-factor they needed at the back with one try, seven tackle busts and a linebreak. Valentine Holmes is now just as dangerous in the No.1 jersey. Arguably the best player in the NRL over the second half of the season, Holmes has scored 11 tries in 13 games since moving to the back, with eight try assists, 21 linebreaks an average of more than four tackle busts per match.
* CAN MELBOURNE KEEP GOING WITHOUT A RECOGNISED HALFBACK?
No team has won a premiership without having the same halfback for at least 15 matches in a season since 1988, but the Storm are on the verge of doing just that. Brodie Croft now looks the likely long-term No.7 after being dropped twice earlier this season, but faces his biggest challenge yet over the next fortnight and against a Sharks pack who will test him out defensively.
* WHO IS ACTUALLY FIT AND WHO’S NOT?
Melbourne centre Will Chambers is the only man guaranteed to return from a stint on the sideline for either team, after he finished serving his three-game ban for a crusher tackle. Nelson Asofa-Solomona could also be a huge inclusion for Melbourne and is tipped to return after three games out with an ankle injury. Josh Dugan has a chance to return from a shoulder injury for Cronulla, while Paul Gallen is also racing the clock on his shoulder. Luke Lewis should also overcome a corked calf, but whether each of the star players return – and get through the game unscathed – could be crucial.
