NRL 2024: How Melbourne Storm can burn three Queensland teams in three rounds

Technically, three Queensland teams are fighting to play finals footy. Unfortunately for them, all the power lies down south with Melbourne and Craig Bellamy over a brutal three weeks.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 08: Will Warbrick of the Storm celebrates scoring a try during the round 23 NRL match between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm at Accor Stadium, on August 08, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

The fate of Queensland’s three remaining finals hopefuls is at risk of being swept aside in a late-season Storm surge.

Melbourne face defending premiers Penrith on Thursday night, before embarking on a Queensland run of games to finish the regular season.

In a remarkable quirk of the draw, the Storm will play the Dolphins (home), Cowboys (away) and Broncos (away). How Melbourne coach Bellamy handles this last month of football could have grave repercussions for their finals hopes with all three still clamouring to make the top eight.

Cronulla hammered a final nail into the Gold Coast’s coffin on Saturday, but Brisbane (11th, 22 points) are still tenuously clinging to a mathematical shot at the top eight after their come-from-behind 42-18 defeat of North Queensland.

The Cowboys (seventh, 28 points) still sit in the eight, despite their loss to the Broncos, while the Dolphins (eighth, 26 points) climbed into that last finals place courtesy of their 34-32 golden-point win over the Warriors on Sunday.

But they all have to go through Craig Bellamy and the Storm.

Not only do Melbourne now have the power to destroy finals hopes, the results in all three games will have a knock-on effect throughout the rest of the jammed NRL ladder.

As it stands there’s just six points separating all three, and the Broncos have a bye in hand this weekend.

The key to it all is Bellamy, and Thursday night’s blockbuster against the Panthers in Penrith, as the top two teams in the competition hunt down the minor premiership.

If the Storm can topple the Panthers to all-but secure top spot, the Storm will have the luxury of resting players in those key Queensland fixtures.

The return of Cameron Munster has only made the Storm more menacing. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

However, the Panthers are two points behind the Storm and victory on Thursday will open up the race in the final three weeks of the season.

On top of the ladder positions, it will likely determine how Bellamy and Ivan Cleary manage resting their stars before the finals.

Penrith are not expected to rest players en masse because they’ve been battling with injuries all season.

Melbourne, on the other hand, could opt to freshen up a few, particularly if the minor premiership is wrapped up.

The Cowboys sit narrowly inside the top eight despite a loss to the Broncos. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

The Broncos need a miracle run and will be nervously looking at their upcoming fixture with the Storm. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

They’ve earned the right to rotate and rest players as they see fit, and to be fair they are top of the ladder despite the absence of their stars for a huge chunk of the season.

They also haven’t been as convincing as they would like over the past two weeks, with a loss to the Dragons and a scrappy performance against the Rabbitohs.

That’s where Thursday night becomes crucial.

It can go a number of ways.

If Melbourne bounce back into form and stun Penrith, they can go four points clear heading into the last three weeks and the temptation to rest players grows.

However, if they’re given another lesson by the three-time champions it’ll send a warning siren through Queensland.

Beware the incoming Storm.

Originally published as NRL 2024: How Melbourne Storm can burn three Queensland teams in three rounds