The first of Saturday’s NRL Round 8 matches is between Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders. The opening kick is set to commence at 5:30pm local time with the game to be played at AAMI PArk in Melbourne. The home team the Melbourne Storm are the current favourites in the market and will be looking to continue their unbeaten start of the season. View our preview and teams for the game between Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders.

Featured Bookmakers:

Melbourne Storm $1.14 vs Canberra Raiders $6.00 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Melbourne Storm $1.14 vs Canberra Raiders $6.00 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:

Melbourne Storm	1.14	1.15	1.14	1.15	1.14	1.14
Canberra Raiders	6.00	5.75	6.00	5.75	6.00	6.00

Preview:

The Melbourne Storm kept their unbeaten record in tact this season with a 28-18 hard earned victory over the NZ Warriors on Anzac Day.

The Storm trailed by two points heading into the final ten minutes of the match but this is where the Storm are at their clinical best and they produced two late tries – Will Chambers in the 72 minute and Billy Slater in the 75^th.

It was the sixth time in seven games this season, the Storm have registered more than twenty points (the only time they failed to do so was against South Sydney – 17 points).

The Canberra Raiders had good momentum with wins over the Roosters and Warriors when heading into last week’s match against the Cowboys in Townsville and, with Terry Campese returning to the team, they would’ve expected more than they produced in their 30-12 loss.

The Raiders can be hard to catch and with a good – or one of the better records – of any team against the Storm in recent years, having won two of the past four encounters and only losing narrowly another, Melbourne will need to be at their best.

More weeks than not however, the Storm are and it is impossible to tip against the Storm at home.

Teams:

Melbourne Storm:
Billy Slater, Sisa Waqa, Will Chambers, Justin O’Neill, Mahe Fonua, Gareth Widdop, Cooper Cronk, Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith, Bryan Norrie, Kevin Proctor, Ryan Hoffman, Tohu Harris
Interchange: Jason Ryles, Junior Moors, Slade Griffin, Lagi Setu, Kenneath Bromwich (one to be omitted)

Canberra Raiders:
Reece Robinson, Sandor Earl, Jack Wighton, Blake Ferguson, Edrick Lee, Terry Campese (c), Josh McCrone, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Matt McIlwrick, Brett White, Joel Edwards Jake Foster, Shaun Fensom
Interchange: Anthony Milford, Joe Picker, Dane Tilse, Paul Vaughan, Jarrad Kennedy, Shaun Berrigan

Raiders to chance arm against the Storm

Canberra’s structure playbook will be left behind in the nation’s capital when they travel to Melbourne to take on a red-hot Storm side gunning for 16 straight NRL wins.

Raiders captain Terry Campese says the only way they’ll notch up their first away win of the NRL season this Saturday will be by chancing their arm against the Storm’s clinical defence at AAMI Park.

“We’ll take a little bit out of the Warriors book, they almost beat them last week on Anzac Day when they threw the ball around,” Campese said.

“If you play simple football, (Melbourne) are the best defensive side in the comp and they shut you down. So you do have to throw the ball around to tire their forwards out.”

Coach David Furner has made selections in line with Campese’s intentions, naming 18-year-old livewire utility back Anthony Milford on the bench in what will be just his second NRL game.

Campese said he’s hoping his side’s rank underdog status combined with the unpredictable x-factor of Milford will help them fly under the radar and beat the undefeated Storm.

“He’s a dynamic runner, he’s got a big step and he loves carrying the football and I think his footwork will trouble the Storm this week,” Campese said.

While star Raiders players David Shillington (ribs), Josh Papalii (knee), Jarrod Croker (knee) and Joel Thompson (toe) are out with injuries, Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk said he was glad to see Campese return to the Raiders’ starting side for the first time in over a year after recovering from a knee injury.

“He’s obviously the captain of their football club, leads them well and is the heartbeat of everything that they do,” Cronk said.

“Hopefully he stays injury free and plays consistently well for Canberra, just not tomorrow night.”

Just five wins away from breaking the all-time NRL winning streak of 19 set by Eastern Suburbs in 1975, the Storm will go into the match extremely wary of the Raiders, who have won their past two matches at AAMI Park.

“We’ve done everything necessary and we’re in the best position to play well,” Cronk said.

However Cronk said he didn’t feel his side had a point to prove despite the Raiders thumping them 40-12 in round 18 last year in what was one of just three home losses last season.

“Their list has changed a lot and our player list has changed as well. Totally different circumstances, different times of the year and the clubs are in different positions,” Cronk said.