NRL Trials: Melbourne Storm back to brilliant best but questions remain

The Storm has bounced back from its shock NRL trial loss to the Warriors but questions remain as to the makeup of its spine for round one.

The Storm notched a comfortable win. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Coach Craig Bellamy admits he’s not sure how the Melbourne Storm’s spine will look in round one but one thing is certain — the Storm will continue to set the standards in 2022.

With a side closer to full strength than the one that lost to the New Zealand Warriors last week, Melbourne comfortably accounted for the Newcastle Knights in Ballarat on Sunday 24-10.

The locals were treated to the rugby league heroics of Harry Grant, Jahrome Hughes, Brandon Smith and Cameron Munster, all of whom appear to have shaken off the Storm’s early finals exit that shocked the NRL last season.

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Bellamy will be happy to finish the pre-season with a win, but the super coach still has some tough calls to make as he configures his team for round one — Smith, Grant and Munster are all unavailable through suspension while Ryan Papenhuyzen (ankle injury) is touch-and-go as well.

Cooper Johns, son of Knights great Matthew, looked set to start in the halves but when he went down with a suspected AC joint injury on Sunday, Bellamy was forced to go back to the drawing board mid-game.

“It’s obviously a bit of a concern for us,” Bellamy told Fox League at full-time.

“We’re not quite sure what we’re going to do now. We’ll look at it early next week and then try and make a decision.”

Jahrome Hughes was already steering the ship but took on even more work.

He’s used to earning praise for his running game but the headgear-clad halfback kicked the Storm around the park with laser-like precision, creating chances all day long.

Hughes was especially dominant in the first half. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Fitter than he’s been in years, Cameron Munster came on for Johns but shifted to fullback later in the first half, with recruit Nick Meaney in the halves.

If holes continue to pop up in the spine, Meaney could well find himself filling the utility role that made Nicho Hynes a star in 2021, and looked comfortable directing traffic in just his second game with the Storm.

“We’re not quite sure what’s going to happen with ‘Paps’ (Ryan Papenhuyzen),” said Bellamy.

“We’re looking for a spot for Nick. I just wanted to play him in the halves just in case Cooper Johns is not ready for round one, which it doesn’t look like he’s going to be.

“It’s just nice to know if he can play in the halves there and do a job for us.”

Neither Brandon Smith nor Harry Grant are available for round one either, but Tyran Wishart showed with one try and good service out of dummy half that he’d be a handy understudy.

“He’s a terrific young kid, really hard worker,” said Bellamy.

“I thought he was a little bit better than last week so hopefully he’ll be a little bit better next week. It looks like he’ll fill our number nine position (in round one).”

Bradman feeling his Best

The entire city of Newcastle held its breath when gamechanging young centre Bradman Best limped off the field with a knee injury in the first half.

Injury has already stymied Best’s short career and 2022 looked set to be the year he finally played a full complement of games.

Blessed with skill, speed and power, Best was ready to join forces with Dane Gagai in the centres and form one of the most damaging pairings in the NRL.

But shortly after scoring the Knights’ first try of the game, the 20-year-old limped from the field with what appeared to be a left knee injury.

He played no further part in the game, but at full-time, told Fox League he felt fine and would line up in round one.

Asofa-Solomona looked as strong as ever. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

No worries for NAS

Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s disrupted pre-season appears to have had little effect on his game.

Asofa-Solomona’s reluctance to become vaccinated against Covid-19 meant he was unable to train with his teammates until the first week of February.

The towering Kiwi was adamant he had stuck to a strict training regime in his time away but judgement day came on Sunday, when he played his first game back.

Coming off the bench, Asofa-Solomona looked in good touch and came close to scoring the Storm’s second try. He threatened to breach the Knights’ line with every run of the footy.

Sharks recruit Dale Finucane has vacated the Storm’s starting spot at lock and Asofa-Solomona should fancy himself one of the frontrunners to grab it.

Kurt’s the Mann

Adam O’Brien confirmed just before kick-off that Kurt Mann had won the race to start at lock for the Knights in round one.

28-year-old Mann has never started an official NRL fixture at lock before but featured there in the first week of trials, and again on Sunday.

Mann impressed O’Brien in the pre-season and will take on a ball-playing role through the middle, just as Connor Watson did towards the end of the Knights’ 2021 season.

Watson has now returned to the Sydney Roosters, where he began his NRL career.