THEY’RE old-hands when it comes to dealing with the difficult State of Origin period but Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy believes his side has never been better equipped to deal with the absence of key men Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.
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The star duo make up what is a smaller Queensland contingent than previous seasons, though Maroons walk-ups Billy Slater and Will Chambers are missing through injury.
Their absence has done little to affect the Storm’s mid-season momentum as they enter Saturday’s clash with the Dragons in top spot on the ladder on the back of seven straight wins.
With the likes of now Kiwi Test captain Jesse Bromwich and fellow Internationals Kevin Proctor, Tohu Harris and Keny Bromwich still in his side, Bellamy said the leadership void without the likes of his famous big-three is not as large as it has been in the past.
After setting up camp this week in Kiama in preparation for the clash, Bellamy said he won’t be letting the famously high standards slip this week.
“It’s always a challenge but having said that we think we’re in a bit better position than now than we’ve been the last few years,” Bellamy said.
“We’ve only got the two in Origin but we’ve got two guys [Slater and Chambers] not playing at all that would’ve been there.
“We've worked really hard the last couple of years on developing who we see as our next group of leaders. Hopefully as they get a little bit better at that and a little more used to that, that’ll help the team when those guys aren’t playing with us.
“We obviously plan for Origin but I don’t think we've had a year go past where we’ve been able to stick to those plans 100 per cent.
“Something a little bit unexpected always happens and you have to change those plans and we’re pretty used to doing that now.”
Bellamy had planned to rest the star pair after a taxing game one victory with Queensland only for them return and play starring roles in a 46-0 thrashing of the Roosters.
He said he will leave a decision on their availability for the Storm’s round 16 clash with the Tigers until after game two, but he knows which way both will be leaning.
“We did have a little bit of a plan to [rest them] but at the end of the day it’s more those guys wanting to play than us wanting them to play,” Bellamy said.
“We obviously want them to play because their great players but they really pride themselves on backing up after an Origin game.
“Smithy obviously did a lot of work in that first Origin but for Cooper to come off the week he had sitting in his room for three or four days to make sure his ankle was right...to want to back up goes to show the quality of those two guys.”
