There’s always something about the air come early September. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I smell finals footy (for some of you it may just be hay fever however, please ensure you’re looking after yourselves!) and boy is it good to be back Eels fans!

It’s been 8 long years, but the day has finally arrived – our team is back in the NRL Finals for the first time since 2009 & even though it’s been nearly a decade, today we find ourselves coming up against a familiar foe – the rugby league juggernaut that is, the Melbourne Storm.

Throughout the year most of you would have grown accustom to my ‘Opposition Analysis’ articles (apologies for the last few weeks my operating system crashing on the second day of my European holiday with Mrs. Clint means I haven’t been able to deliver any content), but I thought with the finals series now well and truly underway, it was time to up the ante for our readership as well!

Welcome to ‘Finals Tactics’ – a new piece whereby rather than analysing the opposition players and what they will bring to the game, we will take a deeper look at the vulnerabilities of our oppositions defensive line and where our try scoring opportunities may present themselves – and what a way to start – the most consistent team of the regular competition (and last decade) – the Melbourne Storm.

Familiar Foes: The Storm and Eels have met in the finals plenty of times before

Just how do you find weakness in perfection?

Quite easily actually – because the Melbourne Storm are far from perfect. Let’s not get caught up in the narrative of the big 3, 4 or 17 for that matter – the Melbourne Storm are just like any other team in the competition, beatable if you bring the right attitude and execute the right strategy.

But just how do you break down a team defensively who is 71 points better than their nearest rival?

You go to the video tape, you analyse and find the patterns – and that’s exactly what your author (and no doubt our coaching team) has done. Reviewing the how Melbourne has conceded their points to identify those commonalities that present themselves.

So here it is Eels fans – the key to unlocking the Melbourne Storm defence:

• Creating 3-on-2’s on the edges: If there’s something the Eels are great at (I’m looking at you Corey Norman), it’s creating mini overlap plays. The reason we’ve been so effective in the 9’s tournament the last few seasons is because the open field gives a player like Norman the extra time and space to create the overlap he seemingly manufactures with ease. Now while the NRL (and the finals for that matter) are a completely different format, it’s still something we’ve seen Corey create on numerous occasions, and boy hasn’t it looked slick? Both the Storm’s right and left edges can be exposed with this play. Both Vunivalu and Addo-Carr have been caught out by this play ever since coming into First Grade and they’re prime picking for a half willing to expose him following a quick play-the-ball. Corey Norman may just be that man today if we can generate some quick play-the-balls down our edges. See Warriors here; and here; Titans here; Sharks here and here; Roosters here and here; Eels here and here; Raiders here; Manly here; Dragons here, here and here; Knights here

Semi Finals? No, Semi Radradra

• Isolating Billy Slater on the goal line: There’s no doubt that Billy Slater will go down as the best fullback in NRL history, however, all greats have their faults. Like many of the modern day defensive structures, the first few tackles of a goal line defensive set sees the Melbourne custodian defend in the line, however there has also been a few occasions where in doing so he has been isolated one-on-one and a bigger forward has been able to crash over him. The leg speed and build of someone like a Suaia Matagi could be best utilised in a situation like this and an opportunity for some cheap points could come our way. See Manly here; Cowboys here; Panthers here; Dragons here

Potential Threat: Short face balls to the likes of Suaia Matagi could create in-roads & points today

• The spiral bomb to Slater: Speaking of the greatest fullback of all time, anyone noticed how much he struggles under the spiral bomb with chasers bearing down on him? We almost stole the 2009 Grand Final from under the Storm’s nose with this exact play and 8 years on, I’m yet to see evidence that Billy handles this with consummate ease. Enter Mitchell Moses, one of his pearlers may just force the error that swings the momentum our way. Remember this, Eels fans? It’s happened many times since in pressure games.

Pressure Him: Billy Slater needs to be tested under the spiral ball

• Short face balls: Melbourne has been susceptible to some short face-balls on their goal line this year. Again, quick play-the-balls on or near their goal line, followed by a cut-out faceball from the hooker has almost always lead to points. Therein lies an opportunity for our number 9 to make a name for himself today. He may be seen as the lesser Cameron in the hooking position on the field, but Eels fans will see him as the King his name suggests if he can produce a bullet pass to get us points. See Manly here; Titans here; Raiders here; Knights here; Tigers here; Rabbitohs here

• Having/hitting runners back against the grain: You can’t play against the Storm with conventional structure and expect to win. Having bodies in motion running back against the grain not only gives our halves more attacking options, but it changes the point of attack and will create space for plays later in the game. This is where I look the likes of Manu Ma’u and Kenny Edwards. Some short balls to these guys running back against the grain, while feigning to go out the back to our flanks could not only make some inroads territorially, but could also produce points. Check out Sharks here; Broncos here and here; Knights here;

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  X-Factor: Kenny Edwards could cause some headaches running back against the grain today

• Isolating the centres 1-on-1: The idea of this is made even more tantalising by great form of Michael Jennings this year. Melbourne have shown a few times this year that if you can isolate their centres into a 1-on-1 position that they are beatable and there is no one better poised to do that today than Jenko, especially considering he will be coming up against the considerably less experienced Curtis Scott. Check out Roosters here; Bulldogs here 

• Grubbering in behind their centres: Speaking of centres, there is a real sweet spot in behind the Melbourne defensive line if our short-kicking game is on song today. Rolling through the Storms tapes has proven time and time again, that if your structures can bring the Melbourne defensive line up and your kickers can find the sweet spot just in behind the Storms centres when inside the attacking 20, there is a try on offer the chasing second-rower and centre. Again, it’s a no brainer with Jenko in our side to be pushing this attacking play! Check out Titans here; Raiders here; Warriors here; Knights here

Jet-boot Jennings: A grubber in behind the line for Jennings could be the break the Eels need

• Kicking in behind the line from dummy-half: Again with the short kicks? Yes! Melbourne’s goal line defence always tries to rush their opposition halves, as such they leave themselves vulnerable to dummy half grubbers into their in goal and the chasers coming through. Having a general play kicking hooker like Cameron Smith cannot be underestimated in a game like today, he has a massive opportunity to expose the Melbourne Storm goal line defence. Check out Sharks here; Titans here; Cowboys here; Roosters here

Gamebreaker? Cameron King possess the attacking nous to upset Melbourne

• High kicks to Josh Addo-Carr: He may be lightning quick, but there isn’t much of him vertically or horizontally. Putting in the high chip kick/flat bomb (whichever you like to call it) across field to Josh Addo-Carr can yield great returns. Play in a dominant team and finishing off their backline movements has hidden some deficiencies that still exist in Addo-Carr’s game. Positionally as a winger, he’s still finding himself in the top grade and lobbing that awkward high chip kick/flat bomb across field can catch him out. See Manly here; Titans here and here; Roosters here and here; Warriors here; Raiders here

Key Performer: The Auva’a-Addo-Carr battle looms as an important one for the Eels today

• Short side plays: Similar to the 3-on-2’s, Melbourne are uncomfortable defending short-side raids and if you’re runners are flat enough and hitting the ball at pace, there’s an opportunity to break the line. This is something our Eels halves have built many an attacking raid around in the second half of the season, we just have to be confident to do it today when it matters most! See Cowboys here and here; Roosters here; Broncos here; Eels here

Short side raid: Bevan French scores against Melbourne earlier this year

• Broken-field second phase play: To finish, I point to the obvious. You cannot play like Melbourne and expect to beat Melbourne. They want to tempt you into play the high-percentage, low-risk game against them; in fact it’s an effective way to keep yourself in the game against them, til a point. The only way to beat Melbourne is to produce something different, something left of field. Fortunately, there are no teams in the top 8 better at doing that than our boys. This shouldn’t be read as a licence for free reign to play ‘Parra-ball’, however we should not be afraid to use the ball and throw it around either. It’ll take something special to break these Storm boys down, so let’s have the kahunas to go for it!

I can talk for days about how we will have to have and maintain great line speed and communication defensively today; the importance of our long kicking game for field position and territory; how and where we should turn the ball over to the Storm; the positional play/defensive reads of Will Smith & Kirisome Auva’a at the back (as well as the need to successfully high ball); and the fact that we will have to complete close to around 90% of our sets – these are all facts not lost on the well-viewed rugby league supporter and they will collectively play a massive roll in our ability to get the job done today, however finals is a completely different ball game and it always takes something a little special with the ball to break your opposition down. Most people will think this is a certain play or player who can produce this, and while that has a lot of credence, the biggest determining factor for us today, is how quickly we can play-the-ball.

Key out: Gutherson will be sorely missed against the Storm

As attached footage as shown, the Storm open up like any other team in the competition when defending a quick play-the-ball – it’s why their coach has put so much emphasis on them dominating the ruck throughout his tenure – and it’s something he 100% fears coming up against when playing us. Why else the over the top emotional reaction to the passing words of in Brad Arthur’s presser last week? They fear us Eels fans, they fear us.

Melbourne have been the finals nemesis for us on many an with our 1999, 2006, 2007 & 2009 campaigns all brought to an end by the Storm – it’s now time for us to reverse the fortunes, and get a win over these buggers! We’re being written off by everyone, we’re the biggest outsiders of Week 1 and it’s just the way we like it!

People may think a Storm wind is a fait accompli, but I can smell a change in the air of that September air.

Clint

All images courtesy of the Parramatta Eels, NRL.com & Getty Images.

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