Melbourne is preparing for a tough opponent next week – whoever it turns out to be.
Canberra will host Penrith this Saturday night for the right to travel to Melbourne for a preliminary final the following week.
Both teams head into the game in solid form, having lost just one game between them in the last six weeks.
That means that whichever opponent comes to AAMI Park in a week’s time will present a significant challenge.
“Those two teams have had some long winning runs,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.
“Canberra had won 10 in a row until they got beat last week and the Panthers won six or seven in a row, they are both in really good form.
“The game could go either way, we will just sit back and see and at 9.30pm on Saturday we will know who we will be playing.
“Obviously they are two really good teams in really good form and I’m it will be a really good game.”
While the Panthers and Raiders prepare to battle it out this weekend, Storm will be fine-tuning their preparations.
It is a fine balance between resting up and keeping the focus sharp but the Club is confident it will cover both bases over the next two weeks.
“It is a week where you can take it a little bit easier and hopefully that will be to your benefit,” Bellamy said.
“Some of our players have had long seasons. Cooper and Cameron have played every game and obviously the Origin series as well, Jess (Bromwich), Tohu (Harris), Blake Green and Kevie Proctor, they’ve played a whole heap of footy this year.”
