History of hate to be reignited as Brisbane Broncos face Melbourne Storm in NRL preliminary final
A HISTORY of hate between the Broncos and Storm built on hidings, heartbreaks and high-profile poachings will be reignited when they meet again in Friday’s preliminary final.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THERE is a history of hate between the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm.
And it is built on hidings and heartbreaks with some high-profile poaching adding extra spice between the power clubs.
The two sides meet again in the finals this Friday night with a berth in the 2017 NRL Grand Final up for grabs.
Genuine rivalries are often born in September when emotions are running at their highest and it is a big part of why there is no love lost when the Broncos and Storm meet.
But before the finals drama, the die was cast when the Storm were first established.
Former Broncos CEO John Ribot was the founding chairman of the Storm and he employed former Brisbane premiership-winning centre Chris Johns as Melbourne’s first CEO.
The Storm’s first captain was Glenn Lazarus who transferred from Brisbane to Melbourne for the 1998 season.
Melbourne’s first football manager was the late — and much-loved — Michael Moore who also worked at the Broncos.
So there was a fair maroon and gold tinge to Melbourne’s purple and blue uniform when they burst onto the scene and made the finals in 1998 until the Broncos knocked them out on the way to Brisbane’s fourth premiership.
The next year in their first meeting, Melbourne smashed Brisbane to the tune of 48-6 in a Round 3 match-up at ANZ Stadium.
Since then, you could argue that Melbourne have out-Bronco’d the Broncos which would not sit well at Red Hill.
The Storm won their first title in their second season, Brisbane took five years to win a premiership.
Melbourne made the finals in their first season, Brisbane qualified for finals for the first time in their third campaign.
In 42 games between the clubs, Melbourne have won 28 with the one draw.
No other club has such an overwhelming record against Brisbane. No other club comes remotely close.
And no big brother likes it when the little brother shines brighter.
The Storm have owned the Broncos, especially in more recent times when former Broncos assistant coach Craig Bellamy has been at the helm of Melbourne.
Melbourne have won 16 of the last 20 meetings between the teams including a run of eight straight wins.
Brisbane have won only twice — Round 25 last year and Round 15 in 2015 — since 2010.
Melbourne — who had two titles stripped for salary cap breaches — have been perennial title contenders since Bellamy joined the club.
Brisbane have faded in and out of contention.
The Storm have had a lot of Queenslanders go through their ranks.
Some may have been undervalued, underrated or overlooked by the Broncos recruiters like a young Cameron Smith, Billy Slater or Cooper Cronk.
To be fair to the Broncos, Brisbane cannot sign every kid with potential but having a chip on your shoulder for being snubbed — be it real or partially imagined — can be a powerful motivator for some Melbourne players.
Brisbane have since tried to recruit Greg Inglis and Smith — but have failed to get the signatures.
But back to September.
Melbourne embarrassed Brisbane with a 50-4 win in Round 4, 2005 before eliminating the Broncos in the finals with a 24-18 victory later that year.
In 2006, Brisbane shocked the rugby league world with a massive 15-8 upset in the grand final.
Melbourne were red-hot favourites but Wayne Bennett pulled a rabbit from his hat to upset apprentice Bellamy and his men.
The Broncos were meant to be just making up the numbers but won the biggest finals match-up in the history of this rivalry.
It did not sit well at Olympic Park.
The Storm belted the Broncos in the first week of finals in 2007 with a 40-0 hiding.
A year later, they eliminated Brisbane again but with a last-second try to Greg Inglis for a heart-stopping and heartbreaking 16-14 win in front of 50,466 spectators at Suncorp Stadium.
In 2009, the Storm claimed a convincing preliminary final win over Brisbane at Docklands with a 40-10 victory.
In more recent times in the home-and-away season, Melbourne thumped Brisbane 42-12 in Round 17 at Suncorp Stadium this year. They scored a 48-6 win in Round 17 at the same venue last year.
With Brisbane and Melbourne, it is personal.
Do not believe anybody from either camp when they say it is “just another game’’.
There is bad blood.
To Brisbane and Melbourne, this Friday’s preliminary final is not life and death. It is far more important.
Stranded Cowboys ask NRL for charter flight to avoid finals farce
The North Queensland Cowboys risk missing Friday night’s final against the Sharks after the club failed to secure seats on one of the two direct flights to Sydney.
Why Roosters face easy call in the halves
Sandon Smith is the first to admit he didn’t have his best game last week, but his teammates have backed him to respond against Manly.