Thursday’s NRL 2018 Round 17 match is between Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra Dragons. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:50 local time with the game to be played at AAMI Park, Melbourne. The home team Melbourne Storm are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra Dragons.
When: 19:50 | Thursday 05/07/2018
Where: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Preview:
One of the downsides of State Of Origin is when two top teams meet with both missing a swag of players to Origin and subsequently, we won’t get the joy of seeing the type of game we want.
Unfortunately, this at times is going to happen.
The loss of players on both sides are significant however for the Storm as they have the luxury of having their skipper Cameron Smith for the first time in this period.
He for mine will be the difference and will control the game like we know he can.
No Billy Slater and Cameron Munster will hurt but I think that by having Smith, they will be able to get through.
The Dragons, on the other hand, are without their forwards and half.
Together they are massive losses.
On the back of that, they have no doubt dropped in their performance over the last few weeks.
It’s hard to avoid, but they on the plus side have still managed to win games.
Having Gareth Widdop at the helm is calming and such a bonus.
He has such a skillset and plays with a confidence that is infectious.
KEY BATTLE: Jahrome Hughes v Matt Dufty
Both Dufty and Hughes are cracking young talents and can have a real impact in the game.
The Verdict
I like the Storm in this one based on the fact they have the best game manager and that the Dragons are missing their forward pack.
It will however, be a close and entertaining game.
Melbourne has an 8-5-1 (60.7 percent) line record in games played during July since 2014.
Unibet Odds:
Melbourne at $1.53
St. George-Illawarra at $2.55
Odds:
Tip: Melbourne Storm at $1.52
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Suliasi Vunivalu at $8.00
More Info:
Teams:
Melbourne Storm:
1 Young Tonumaipea, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Cheyse Blair, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Justin Olam, 6 Ryley Jacks, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 8 Christian Welch, 9 Cameron Smith, 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11 Joe Stimson, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 13 Kenny Bromwich
Interchange: 14 Brandon Smith, 15 Tui Kamikamica, 16 Patrick Kaufusi, 17 Brodie Croft
Reserves: 18 Scott Drinkwater, 19 Lachlan Lam, 20 Albert Vete, 21 Sandor Earl.
St George Illawarra Dragons: 
1 Matt Dufty, 2 Nene Macdonald, 3 Euan Aitken, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Kurt Mann, 6 Gareth Widdop (c), 7 Darren Nicholls, 8 James Graham, 9 Cameron McInnes, 10 Leeson Ah Mau, 11 Jacob Host, 12 Luciano Leilua, 13 Blake Lawrie
Interchange: 14 Jeremy Latimore, 15 Jason Nightingale, 16 Hame Sele, 17 Reece Robson
Reserves: 18 Patrick Herbert, 19 Jai Field, 20 Jordan Pereira, 21 Mitchell Allgood.
NRL News:
Forward Ryan Hoffman will take up an administrative role with Melbourne after confirming he will retire at the end of the NRL season.
Hoffman, a member of the NRL’s 300-game club, returned for his third and final stint at the Storm this season in a career that has also included NSW and Kangaroos honours.
The back-rower’s announcement on Tuesday comes just days after he was one of the Storm’s best in their win over the Sydney Roosters on Friday night, twice charging down kicks as coach Craig Bellamy claimed he could play on another year.
But after 319 NRL games, the 34-year-old said he was comfortable stepping away from the on-field action at year’s end.
“I’ve been lucky to have lived out my boyhood dream and make a career out of rugby league for 16 years,” Hoffman said in a statement.
“I feel I have achieved everything I can in the game and while it was hard to say the words out loud for the first time, I’m very content with the decision.
“I haven’t lost my love for the game, however I knew my time as a player was finished and I know this is the right decision.”
Since he debuted with the Storm in Bellamy’s rookie coaching season in 2003, Hoffman has gone on to play 22 finals matches for the Storm – including their 2007, 2009 and 2012 grand final wins.
After being forced out of the club by the 2010 salary cap scandal, he spent a season at Wigan before returning for the Storm’s 2012 premiership win.
He left the Storm at the end of the following season to head to New Zealand and captain the Warriors, before returning to Melbourne this year.
He has also played six Tests for Australia and 14 State of Origins for NSW, and was named the Blues player of the series in their drought-breaking 2014 series win.
He will take up an administrative role in the club next season, working on special projects underneath football director Frank Ponissi.
“Few players are able to retire with a resume that even come close to what Ryan has been able to accomplish,” Ponissi said.
“Ryan for a large part of his career has always shown an interest and passion in football administration and management as a potential career once his playing days came to an end.
“He has completed a Bachelor of Business while he has been playing and in the off-season will undertake further studies at Harvard University, so we have been greatly impressed with how well planned and prepared he is for the transition (into his) post-playing career.”