Is the defence of Melbourne the reason for its success?

The performance of Melbourne Storm in the NRL in the past five years has been nothing short of exemplary. In 2012, Melbourne Storm won the NRL and last season the team made it to the final of the National Rugby league where it lost to Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. So, what is the reason for Melbourne Storm’s recent successes? Most people will tell you that the reason for Melbourne Storm’s successes in recent years is its forward line including names such as Cameron Smith and Billy Slater. However, contrary to popular belief, the real reason for Melbourne Storm’s recent successes is its defence and not its forward line.

It is no secret that Craig Bellamy has made Melbourne Storm defensively solid. The 2007 National Rugby league season saw the Melbourne Storm concede 127 fewer points than they did the previous season i.e. in the 2006 NRL season. Ever since then, the defence of Melbourne storm has been one of its main strengths. In the entire 2016 NRL season, the team conceded only 302 points. Since 2006, only five teams in the NRL have conceded fewer points. The brickwall defence of Melbourne storm is a major reason the team is expected to do well again this season. So, how many points do you think Melbourne will concede in the 2017 National Rugby League season? You can make a prediction by betting on NRL.




After the first five rounds of matches of the current NRL season, Melbourne had conceded only 48 points. This means that the Melbourne’s defence is performing to expectation. Also, the 48 points conceded by Melbourne Storm is the 4^thlowest points conceded after the first five rounds of matches in an NRL season since 1998. All of the three teams ranked above Melbourne made it to the finals of the NRL in the season they conceded fewer than Storm’s 48 points. Considering this, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Melbourne Storm is one of the favourites to make the Grand final this season.

The credit for Storm’s defensive performance must go to Bellamy. He has organised the team in a way that has made it defensively strong. Moreover, he’s got the team thinking in the right way. The approach Bellamy wants the team to take reflects in everything the team does and not just the defence.  Correcting the structure is not the only thing required to be defensively strong. It entails a lot more than that.




To be defensively solid, a team needs desperation and the right attitude: two things Bellamy’s storm have in abundance. On the field, each and every player of Storm is willing to fight for the ball.  This is something most other NRL teams are lacking. In short, the defence of Melbourne Storm is one of the major reasons for its successes in recent years and it is likely to help the team perform well this season as well.