The Storm has drifted from NRL premiership favourites after a disastrous night in Brisbane.<\/p>\n
Superstar halfback Jahrome Hughes suffered a suspected broken and enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona is facing another potential ban, but it\u2019s the Storm\u2019s defence that has coach Craig Bellamy \u201cpissed off\u201d on the eve of the finals.<\/p>\n
The Storm had nothing to play for having already wrapped up second spot but return home in a world of hurt, with Hughes in major doubt to play again this year after he injured his arm while making a tackle in his first game back from a dislocated shoulder.<\/p>\n
While they have options to replace Hughes Bellamy\u2019s biggest concern is his side\u2019s defence after they lost 30-14 to the Broncos, making it 70 points they\u2019ve conceded in the past two weeks after they went down 40-10 at home to the Roosters.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s their worst defensive two-game stretch since 2005 when they conceded 77 points in rounds 21 and 22. The Storm also conceded 70 in 2006 and gave up 69 points in 2013 but bounced back to score 68 the following week. <\/p>\n
The top defensive teams go on to win the premiership, and Bellamy has seen some worrying signs a week out from the finals. <\/p>\n
\u201c(I\u2019m) pissed off at a few things,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m disappointed again to be quite honest. It looked to me like we lacked a whole heap of patience, we were pretty undisciplined as well \u2013 lots of penalties and six-agains.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest disappointment for me is over the last two weeks we\u2019ve had 70 points put on us. That\u2019s not a good thing, not a good sign coming into finals having that many points scored against you.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the team we\u2019ve got we\u2019ve probably been known for our attack in the last couple of years, but defence is what wins big games, and big games are just about to start. We\u2019re nowhere near where we should be in that department.\u201d<\/p>\n
After losing last year\u2019s grand final, many people expected the Storm to go one better in 2025, but Bellamy poured cold water on that notion when asked if they could win it all. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m doubting that at the moment,\u201d he said ahead of next week\u2019s Bulldogs clash.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo weeks of it. We\u2019ll see next week. We\u2019ll find out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Five-eighth Cameron Munster was equally frustrated with his side\u2019s defensive frailties that were exposed by Broncos fullback Reece Walsh. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to worry about our own four walls. Defence wins games, and we\u2019ve leaked so many points. If we can work on our defence, then points will come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndividually, we\u2019ve all got to have a good look at ourselves because defensively we have an attitude problem. The last few weeks, the attitude stinks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their attack on Thursday also looked a bit clunky, but Harry Grant\u2019s return next week should solve some of those problems.<\/p>\n
The biggest headache they have now is who comes in to replace Hughes, with Tyran Wishart and Jonah Pezet fighting it out for the No.7 jersey. <\/p>\n
\u201cI played with them the last three or four weeks before Jahrome came back and we had a really good combination \u2013 I think we lost one game and that was against the Roosters (last week),\u201d Munster said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s obviously going to be disappointing not having Hughesy there because he\u2019s such an integral part to our attack and defence, and he\u2019s a class player who won the Dally M for a reason last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we\u2019ve got some good depth in our halves, and I\u2019ve got a lot of belief in those guys.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know a lot of people are going to put a lot of speculation and a lot of stuff in the headlines in the media about whether we can do it or not, but that\u2019s what you sell papers for.\u201d<\/p>\n