Melbourne finished 2016 with the No.1 ranked defence in the NRL.
They conceded just 12.5 points per game, the third best defensive season in the Club’s history (behind 11.5 in 2007 & 11.8 in 2008).
The purple wall came into its own during a six-week period of the season, allowing just 26 points, four tries and 4.3 points per game between Rounds 8-14. You have to go back 26 years for the last time a team conceded fewer points over a six-game stretch (Penrith Panthers, 1990).
For the first time, Storm kept their opponents scoreless in consecutive weeks with shutout victories over the Warriors and Titans in Rounds 8-9.
It took until Round 15 for a team to break the 20-point mark against them, something that only happened on another three occasions during the year.
A cornerstone of the Melbourne defence was their tackling. Storm made 810 more tackles than any other team in the NRL and also missed the fewest tackles.
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