With the Representative Round over Storm will resume their season against the reigning premier in a blockbuster clash at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
The game against the Cowboys is part of the NRL Double Header that will also see Manly take on the Broncos later that night.
Melbourne and North Queensland will both meet with a 7-2 record and only the Cowboys’ superior points differential has them currently atop the competition ladder.
Be at AAMI Park when we take on the Panthers, Saturday 4 June, 7:30pm.
Both clubs were well represented across the representative weekend with Storm having 12 players in action.
The rest of the playing group was given the weekend off to recharge ahead of a tough middle part of the season and there is currently no greatest test than facing the men from Townsville.
“We’ve got the Cowboys who are in great form and obviously won the comp last year. We will be talking a fair bit about their players when we get stuck back into things tomorrow,” Storm utility Ben Hampton said.
“They’ve got some big attacking weapons in their forwards and you’ve got Coote and JT, who is probably the best player in the game.
“It is going to be hard to pick out some weaknesses that we are going to try and target but I’m sure Craig will find something,
“They were up the top all of last season and they’ve started this season with a bang. We’ve played some quality teams over the last couple of weeks and have come out on top but this weekend will probably be the biggest test so far.”
The chance to be a part of the NRL Double Header is a significant one for Melbourne.
The showpiece event is set to be a sell out with a crowd of more than 50,000 people expected to pack out Suncorp Stadium.
“It should be a good thing not just for ourselves, not just for Melbourne but also the other clubs involved,” Hampton said.
“I think it is going to be a really successful weekend.”