‘It’s a pretty impressive stat’: Storm faces toughest test as defending premiers look to spoil Melbourne’s incredible record

Preserving one of rugby league’s most incredible streaks hasn’t been used as extra motivation for the Storm as they prepare to face the Panthers in a rematch of last year’s preliminary final where the gap between the best and the rest was exposed in brutal fashion.

Melbourne boasts some of the most amazing records in the NRL, including the stat that they’ve made the past four grand finals in leap years.

The most recent one was in 2020 when they defeated the Panthers, but it’s been slim pickings since then with Penrith winning six of their past eight against the Storm.

“We recognised there was a gap between the grand finalists and us,” Storm utility Tyran Wishart said, hoping to avenge last year’s 38-4 loss in the preliminary final.

“We’ve been doing what we can (to bridge that gap) and we had a really tough pre-season which has given us confidence.

“We’re trying to cut the gap and be right up alongside them as genuine threats for the premiership.

“The test comes in round 1, and that’s the best challenge we can have.”

While the Storm wasn’t at their best in 2023, they head into the new season locked and loaded with a silver bullet having won every round 1 matchup since Craig Bellamy took over 21 years ago.

You have to go all the way back to 2001 for their most recent round 1 loss, with the Eels almost snapping the streak last season only for Harry Grant to break their hearts with a try in golden point.

“Honestly, it hasn’t been brought up once. I kind of forgot about it until I got asked about it,” Wishart said, with Friday’s clash at AAMI Park the first time they’ll face a defending premier in round 1 under Bellamy.

“That’s no motivation for us at all. It’s all about getting the two points. This is the biggest challenge we’ve had in a long time, but we’re taking confidence out of the pre-season we had.”

Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo knows all about Melbourne’s round 1 record but says ending the streak isn’t something they see as a potential notch on the belt.

“That record doesn’t just happen. They train really hard and they prepare themselves in the pre-season for that round 1 performance,” he said.

“That holds a wonderful challenge for us.

“It’s a tough challenge going down there regardless of when you play them, but this early in the season, you just want to focus on yourselves.”

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has often spoken about his admiration of the Storm and what they’ve achieved over the past two decades, and the winning streak hasn’t been lost on a man who has forged his own incredible legacy with three-straight titles.

“It’s a pretty impressive stat,” he said.

“Every time you play Melbourne, you think the same – it’s a massive challenge. They’ve been at the top for so long … they’ve always been the benchmark team.

“It’s a matchup that you really look forward to regardless of what happens because you always come away from it with a better understanding of what you’ve got to be.”