Melbourne Storm forward Dale Finucane happy to do his talking on the pitch against the Bulldogs

DALE Finucane has thrived under two of the NRL’s hardest taskmasters, and when his current and former club collide he expects no quarter to be given by either.

NRL Round 5 - Melbourne Storm v Newcastle Knights at AAMI Park - Dale Finucane tackle by the Knights defence. 2nd April 2016. Picture: Colleen Petch.

IT is well known in the Melbourne Storm inner sanctum that you don’t speak to forward Dale Finucane in the sheds before a game.

Some players — like pivot Blake Green or centre Will Chambers — like to joke around and keep the mood light, while others are unapproachable as they get in the zone with a set of serious routines before running out to battle.

Finucane is certainly one of the latter, which is not surprising given he has played for two of the NRL’s best coaches and hardest taskmasters in Des Hasler and Craig Bellamy.

Both are no-nonsense coaches and the hard-hitting Finucane is a no-nonsense player; one who strongly resembles an old-school footballer with tape across his forehead fast becoming his game-day trademark.

Storm and Finucane’s former side in the Bulldogs will meet at AAMI Park on Monday night for what promises to be another absorbing duel between the two arch rivals.

“Both clubs are similar in their work ethics — they both do as much as they can to get the most out of their players,” Finucane said.

“Both Craig Bellamy and Des can both lose their tempers and I don’t know who is worse out of the two to cop a spray from.

“I haven’t copped too much from Craig but more so Des when I was a younger player and learning my role in first grade.”

There is no doubt Finucane’s move to Melbourne has been a success.

Finucane isn’t keen to cop a spray from either Des Hasler or Craig Bellamy.

The Bega product moved here at the end of 2014 in the hope of securing a starting spot.

He had played most of his games at the Bulldogs off the bench and yearned for more opportunity.

“I’ve been able to achieve the goals I set when coming here in playing longer minutes and playing in that starting role,” Finucane said.

“Now it’s about making the most of the minutes I’m getting and offering the team as much as I can.

“You still never feel complacent and think you own that job and will always have it, you have always got players striving to play well and be in that starting position.”

Finucane knows first-hand just how good the Bulldogs are and he said it would take a big effort to sink them.

“They have a really big forward pack and they have a lot of internationals in their team as well, coupled with the fact they also have a lot of spark in their outside backs as well,” he said.

“I think right across the park they’re a difficult side.”

Originally published as Melbourne Storm forward Dale Finucane happy to do his talking on the pitch against the Bulldogs