LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
The struggling Canterbury Bulldogs are set to face the Melbourne Storm in Victoria as they kick off the NRL finals, both teams aiming for a vital week off.
In this encounter, both teams are grappling with injury issues. The Storm is missing several key spine players, while the Bulldogs lost a couple of outside backs last weekend.
Recently, both teams have displayed inconsistent performances, even though they finished high on the ladder. The Storm, who once appeared dominant, have suffered back-to-back defeats-losing to the Sydney Roosters 40 to 10 at home in Round 26 and then falling short against the Brisbane Broncos 30 to 14 in the final round.
Prior to these losses, the Storm did manage to secure wins, including a victory over the Bulldogs in Round 25 and four additional wins before that. However, without halfback Jahrome Hughes, their performance lacked convincing flair.
While the Storm has had challenges in recent weeks, the Bulldogs have experienced their own decline. Starting strong with ten wins out of their initial eleven matches, the Bulldogs made the baffling decision to rearrange their spine as they approached the finals, leading to a loss of their home qualifying final.