Denied back-to-back titles by the Sydney Roosters, Melbourne say they can still be proud after a testing NRL season.
The Storm were comprehensively outplayed by the Roosters in their 21-6 grand final loss at ANZ Stadium but skipper Cameron Smith said it was a massive effort just to make the top two showdown.
Their biggest hurdle this season was replacing Cooper Cronk, the player who orchestrated their grand final demise despite carrying a fractured shoulder into the match.
They tried three different players in the No.7 jersey before settling on youngster Brodie Croft, while they also lost key players including Jesse Bromwich, Dale Finucane and Billy Slater to injury through the season.
The Storm also faced concerns they would lose coach Craig Bellamy who was targeted by the Broncos.
“It’s been a difficult year for us as a playing group,” Smith said after the match.
“I think when you look back on those challenges and what we have overcome, it’s a pretty special effort to get to where we did.
“As difficult as it is to lose, we can all be proud of being here as one of the last two teams.
“We certainly weren’t good enough to win it – the Roosters were a far better football side.”
Coach Craig Bellamy said his team didn’t give themselves a chance to compete with the Roosters due to their uncharacteristically poor ball handling.
“They just started way better than us and we were way behind the eight ball at halftime obviously,” Bellamy said.
“We paid a real expensive price for our mistakes.
“Our completion rate 66 per cent while their’s was 85 and to be quite honest, there lies the difference.
“If they complete like that and defend like they defend they would always be hard to beat.”
Bellamy said he had mixed feelings about Cronk – happy for a player who spent 14 seasons in Melbourne had another title but disappointed it had come at the expense of the Storm.
The pair embraced after the match but Bellamy didn’t want to reveal their exchange.
“The whole club is probably happy for him but we’re not that happy because they just beat us,” he said.
“He’s got great respect in our club and he’ll always be a part of us.”