All of Storms wins have been close affairs and some narrow escapes in there with the exception of the Bunnies which they put a score on however they have beaten a number of top teams along the way (Panthers, Broncos, Roosters) so they are obviously doing alot right which isn't much of a surprise.
With our new found resolve in defense and ability to play with discipline and poise (not always though) we really shouldn't be getting blown off the park and should at least keep it tight if we are serious.
We need to find our rhythm early and settle in (being selfish as a fan I wanna relax as the game gets going and not be a nervous wreck haha), patient but purposeful. If we bring those random Sharks jitters or not turning upsies it could get messy. Storm more likely to make it much harder to come back if they get a good score out in front compared to other opposition we have faced.
I don't care that they have injuries, their mindset and attitude never really changes and they will come after us and play the 80 mins. Any win against the Storm is a good win that I will take, especially down @ AAMI Park.
While the Storm might not be the scary team they once were playing down in Melbourne is still scary as a Sharks fan after so much PTSD experiences from the past but we should take a leaf out of the other less fancied teams that have already played them like Newcastle and Titans who showed us the Storm can still be vulnerable and beaten and at end of the day they are still just a footy team (a very well drilled one).
If those teams can have a crack and keep it close so can we, don't play scared, play them like we did the Raiders or Cows. Power, speed, pressure. Put the onus on the Storm to avoid a loss and earn a win, don't play into their hands. Sharks teams have always gone best against the Storm when it's us determining how the game will be played, not Melbourne.
Be aggressive but controlled, we can get it done, will be disappointed if we don't.
While it might seem on the surface as just a single game this isn't just another game IMO. It's the Storm in Melbourne - our biggest test yet. With a tough month or more of footy coming up against the top teams we need a win here to really drive the teams confidence and belief and not let old doubts creep back in.
I know most people don't really care about the Minor premiership but if we wanted to make a push for finishing the season in 1st place it starts here. With our superior F/A a win essentially gives us a 1-2 game buffer on 2nd place. What an opportunity that is.
Even if we were to drop a couple games over this tough period we could still be in the running and at the least looking to lock down a Top 4 spot.
Time to see what we are really made of - signs have been good, we have the ability we just need to put it all together in the big ones.
Sharks 20-18 (but I'm not confident)
