Parramatta forward Shaun Lane believes the Eels’ shock NRL defeat to crisis-riddled St George Illawarra was the loss they needed to reboot their premiership charge.

The Eels will host competition heavyweights Melbourne on Thursday night amid their worst slump of an otherwise promising campaign.

The Storm have replaced Parramatta in second on the ladder after a string of unconvincing wins culminated in the surprise loss to the Dragons.

Despite coach Brad Arthur insisting after Friday’s 14-12 defeat that the Eels did not need a wake-up call, Lane thinks otherwise.

“We’ve been playing pretty average in the last month or so, so I think a loss was in some ways needed for us to wake ourselves up a little bit,” the second-rower said on Monday.

“Of course we don’t like to lose, but the way were playing we felt it wasn’t too far around the corner if we didn’t change something.

“In a way we can look at it as something bad or try and see the positives from it and say it’s a bit of a wake-up call for us.”

Parramatta’s recent form against Craig Bellamy’s team is uncomfortable reading for fans of the blue and gold.

Melbourne embarrassed the Eels in both clashes last year, winning 64-10 and 32-10.

“They’re a great side and we’re not the only team they’ve dusted up like in recent memory,” Lane said.

“We don’t take anything from the past and allow it to scare us, you’ve got to take it with a grain of salt and know we’re a different team now.”

The Storm will be without electric winger Suliasi Vunivalu (broken jaw), and could also be missing in-form halfback Jahrome Hughes (groin).