Sunday’s NRL 2018 Round 19 match is between New Zealand Warriors and Melbourne Storm. The opening kick is set to commence at 14:00 local time with the game to be played at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland. The home team New Zealand Warriors are the favourites for the match.

View our preview and teams for the game between New Zealand Warriors and Melbourne Storm.

When: 14:00 | Sunday 22/07/2018

Where: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland

Preview:

For the first time the Storm have come through the Origin period undefeated and that’s due to one thing, Cameron Smith.

His inclusion through this period just might be the difference in the back end for where they finish.

They haven’t been pretty but still able to grab points.

He kicked a field goal against the Roosters to get his team home and again on the weekend kicked a penalty goal to do the same.

They get all of their Origin stars this week and watch for them to really put it to the Warriors who on the weekend were outstanding.

KEY BATTLE: David Fusitu’a v Josh Addo-Carr

The matchup of the two flying wingers Josh Addo-Carr and David Fusitu’a will provide plenty of highlights but it’s in the middle of the field where the damage will be done.

Smith v Issac Luke both players are in great touch.

If Luke can bring his running game like last week, it will create all sorts of problems for the Storm as for Smith the old fox still has a few tricks left.

The Verdict

I don’t think it will be a 50-point game like their last match but it should be a very entertaining one anyway.

Melbourne has a 73-22 (76.8 percent) record as a favourite after a win since 2012.

Unibet Odds:

New Zealand Warriors at $2.28

Melbourne Storm at $1.64

Odds:

Tip: New Zealand Warriors at $2.45

Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Josh Addo-Carr at $9.00

More Info:

Teams:

New Zealand Warriors:

1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c), 2 David Fusitu’a, 3 Gerard Beale, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Isaiah Papali’i, 12 Simon Mannering, 13 Adam Blair

Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Chris Satae, 16 Joseph Vuna, 17 Peta Hiku

Reserves: 18 Mason Lino, 20 Karl Lawton, 21 Bunty Afoa, 22 Anthony Gelling.

Melbourne Storm:

1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith (c), 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 13 Kenny Bromwich

Interchange: 14 Tui Kamikamica, 15 Tim Glasby, 16 Christian Welch, 17 Brandon Smith

Reserves: 18 Jahrome Hughes, 19 Joe Stimson, 20 Dale Finucane, 21 Cheyse Blair.

NRL News:

For the first time in five years the New Zealand Warriors have defeated Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium, keeping their top four hopes alive with a 26-6 NRL victory on Sunday.

A week after the Broncos looked to have locked up a finals spot, they are now precariously placed at eighth with a -26 point deficit after the Warriors snapped the hosts’ three game winning run.

The Warriors ended their own worrying two game losing slide with the five-tries-to-one rout in front of 37,493 largely shellshocked fans that looks set to move them to seventh.

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett seemed poised to savour career victory No.500 on Sunday after the Broncos won five of their last six games and with the top four seemingly in their sights.

And the Warriors looked vulnerable at a venue where they had not won since 2013 after a 36-4 last round thumping from Penrith.

Yet Brisbane had no answer for the powerful Warriors with hulking prop Agnatius Paasi leading the way.

Halfback Shaun Johnson and hooker Issac Luke ran amok as nuggety centre Solomone Kata crossed for a double in a nightmare afternoon for Brisbane winger Jamayne Isaako.

Remarkably the Warriors now have the best away record in the competition, winning seven from nine.

Brisbane were behind the eight ball from the outset, losing NSW centre James Roberts (Achilles) and forward Tevita Pangai (hamstring).

But nothing could quite prepare Brisbane for the Warriors assault to come.

Johnson had a hand in tries to Kata (seventh) and winger Gerard Beale (26th) before Luke did it all himself with a solo dummy half effort in the 36th as the visitors grabbed a 16-0 halftime buffer.

Kata bagged his second by the 50th before Paasi bulldozed his way over five minutes later to put the result beyond doubt.

Brisbane were denied tries to Corey Oates (5th) and captain Darius Boyd (46th) before hooker Andrew McCullough finally got the hosts on the board in the final five minutes.

Both McCullough and the Warriors’ Chris Satae were binned in the 33rd minute.

Satae raised his arm while he was being tackled, hitting McCullough in the throat and prompting punches from the hooker.

In another concern for Bennett, back-rower Jaydn Su’A limped off in the 44th minute with a suspected knee injury.