Melbourne Storm legends Cameron Smith and Billy Slater were spotted in the sheds after the club’s thumping loss in Magic Round and Andrew Johns has “no doubt” what they were cooking up.
Melbourne dropped to sixth place on the ladder after their 28-12 loss to the Rabbitohs and are in danger of slipping out of the eight if they follow it up with another loss on Thursday night when they face the ladder-leading Broncos.
But the sight of Smith and Slater “holding court” with the Storm coaching staff has Johns convinced there’s a response coming.
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“Last week after the Storm got pumped by the Rabbitohs, I saw in the sheds and there was Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, all the coaching staff and Billy and Cameron were holding court,” Johns told Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and The Eighth’s Tips.
“So I have no doubt there’ll be a change and Craig Bellamy, he’ll be having an ambush, so I’m going to tip the Storm.”
The Immortal’s case for an upset didn’t convince Brad Fittler.
“You can’t ‘ambush’ on your own home ground,” Fittler said.
”I’m going the Broncos, I reckon they’re going too good.”
Fittler and Johns previewed the mouthwatering match-ups set to ignite the Thursday night blockbuster at AAMI Park, highlighting opposing Maroons stars Xavier Coates and Selwyn Cobbo, muscular centres Justin Olam and Kotoni Staggs and the big bopper battle between Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Payne Haas.
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Haas, a key player for Fittler’s NSW side, has been in dominant form this season, with Johns writing in his column for The Sydney morning Herald that if he continues on his current trajectory he could be considered the greatest forward of the NRL era by the end of his career.
Asofa-Solomona has the huge task of curbing Haas’ influence, with Queensland star Christian Welch the Storm’s other big name forward in a tasty contest.
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and Round 11 tips by Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and all Nine’s expert tipsters!
Andrew Johns: Storm, Warriors, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Knights, Sharks
Brad Fittler: Broncos, Warriors, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Titans, Sea Eagles
Darren Lockyer: Broncos, Warriors, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Titans, Sharks
Paul Gallen: Storm, Warriors, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Titans, Sharks
Ruan Sims: Broncos, Bulldogs, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Knights, Sharks
Michael Chammas: Broncos, Bulldogs, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Eels, Knights, Sharks
Billy Slater: Storm, Bulldogs, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Titans, Sharks
Mat Thompson: Broncos, Warriors, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Titans, Sharks
David Middleton: Storm, Bulldogs, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Eels, Titans, Sharks
Peter Psaltis: Broncos, Bulldogs, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Titans, Sharks
Danika Mason: Broncos, Bulldogs, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Raiders, Titans, Sharks
The Mole: Broncos, Warriors, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Eels, Titans, Sharks
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