Storm won't get nasty

CRAIG Bellamy insists there won't be a repeat of last year's infamous Battle of Brookvale when Melbourne face bitter NRL rivals Manly Monday night.

CRAIG Bellamy insists there won't be a repeat of last year's infamous Battle of Brookvale when Melbourne face bitter NRL rivals Manly at Brookvale Oval on Monday night.

Two brawls erupted in that round-25 clash, resulting in lengthy suspensions to players from both sides including star Storm back-rower Adam Blair - weakening the Melbourne pack as they fell one week short of a grand final appearance.

And the Storm coach doesn't believe either team can afford another spiteful encounter, and the suspensions which could come from it.

"I don't think anything like that is going to happen again," Bellamy said yesterday. "We can't afford to have three or four players sitting on the sidelines for a month or whatever."

Bellamy said his side won't even be talking about the wild brawls that marred their last match against Manly, even if everyone else is.

"If there's any focus on it (the brawling), it will be from the media," Bellamy said. "Nobody from our side or the Manly side, I imagine, planned what happened ... it was a reaction to what happened on the footy field.

"We're just going out to play our footy and I imagine Manly is going to do the same."

Melbourne's main protagonist on that night, Adam Blair, is playing at Wests Tigers, however the other two suspended players, Manly's fiery Stewart brothers Brett and Glenn, are set to back up from NSW's game-two State of Origin win.

Also backing up from the Blues' 16-12 victory is Sea Eagles enforcer Anthony Watmough who said matches against the Storm were special, given their history of meeting in the 2007-08 grand finals.

But the second-rower agreed with Bellamy that both sides would do everything possible to avoid similar scenes to last year.

"I don't think (it will be like last year). That was the heat of the moment," Watmough said.

"There were a lot of things going into that game but it's all done and dusted now."

The Storm will miss star fullback Billy Slater, who is out for up to six weeks after he damaged his knee during Origin II, while skipper Cameron Smith and halfback Cooper Cronk will start.

Bellamy said that he rates Manly, who are currently fifth on the ladder after winning five of their past six encounters, as one of the best teams in the competition.

His ladder-leading side are looking to rebound from their second loss of the season after falling short against Wests Tigers last round.

The Storm completed only their second training session on the field this week with the players given extra time off after flying to New Zealand and then having a short turnaround before meeting the Tigers.

Bellamy praised the courageous effort of Slater to play out the match on Wednesday night.

"I knew something was wrong," he said. "You could tell by a couple of times in the game his body language wasn't great and he wasn't moving like Billy Slater usually moves.

"With him finishing the game, I was thinking it wouldn't be too long term but I was wrong.

"It goes to show what a courageous player he is."

Matt Duffie, who wore the No. 1 jersey while Slater was away on Origin duty, will again start at fullback.

Follow @Telegraph_Sport on Twitter and like Telegraph Sport on Facebook