Brisbane vs Melbourne
Melbourne needs just 2 points to clinch the Minor Premiership with 3 games left after this one. With 2 home games amongst those 4 remaining games (a venue they havent lost at this season), its beyond question that they finish first. Which means the biggest threat they face here on out is losing players to meaningless injuries before the playoffs.
Brisbane, on the other hand, in losing 4 straight face the nightmare scenario of not making the playoffs after looking at one stage to easily make the top 4. 3 teams with 22 points & the Warriors with 20 points (who play Brisbane in the last round, and have a much superior points differential) can all overtake the Broncos if the Broncs dont start winning. With Canterbury & Parramatta their next 2 (road) fixtures (the 2nd team on the ladder, and the hottest team going), the threat of not making the playoffs (even with a win over the Warriors) is a distinct possibility. All of those worries can be shelved by winning today.
So the question is, as obvious as it is that Melbourne is the superior side to Brisbane, and as good as Melbourne's record is in Brisbane, how willing will the Storm's brainstrust be to wear out their workhorses in a meaningless fixture? They rested key players last week, who knows how (via the interchange) any particular player will be used this week. Melbourne have won 10 in a row and, thou it'll never be voiced in public, coaches usually dont like long winning streaks taken into playoffs, and Melbourne have easier contests left to make sure they dont head into the playoffs as losers.
Because I dont think melbourne ultimately will want to waste the energy winning a battle they dont even need to fight, when for their opponent its likely the battle that decides whether they win their personal war, or not, I'm backing
Brisbane Try 1st score (expect a very hot and aggressive start from these guys), and
Brisbane/Brisbane half/full double: if they do it, it'll be from go to woe.
