AAMI Park will play host to Sunday's Round 14 NRL game between Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights. The game kicks off at 2:00 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Storm vs. Newcastle Knights game and give you our free tips and bets.
When: Sunday June 9, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Where: AAMI Park
Bet: Bet On This Match HERE
Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights Odds
Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights Preview
Another heavyweight to look a bit shaky lately under the weight of a high-profile injury toll, ladder-leading Melbourne comes off the bye aiming to bounce back against a Newcastle side reeling from an insipid performance at home in Round 13.
The Storm bookended a Magic Round rout of the Eels with hard-fought losses to the Sharks at home and the Sea Eagles away in their last three.
The absence of Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen was especially evident in the latter defeat.
The Storm have named Harry Grant and Xavier Coates to back up from Origin, while Will Wabricks injury sees Grant Anderson go onto the wing and Bronson Garlick join the interchange.
The Knights went into the Round 12 bye basking in four straight gritty wins since losing Kalyn Ponga to injury.
But the well-rested squad were awful last Friday, sinking to a season-worst 32-2 loss at home to an Origin-hit Bulldogs side that spent 20 minutes of the match with a player in the bin.
Exasperated coach Adam OBrien has resisted the urge to make changes, naming the same 17 and will be hoping for a turnaround from rookie fullback David Armstrong, who had a shocker against Canterbury.
After losing the teams last 11 encounters, the Knights have won their last two against the Storm: a 26-18 result in Round 21 last year and a 14-12 eclipse of a team missing Munster and Hughes in Round 3 this season, but Newcastles last win at AAMI Park was back in 2015.
The Knights have picked up a couple of recent wins at neutral venues but are 1-3 as a genuine away team in 2024.
The Storm have not lost consecutive regular-season games at home since 2019 and should get away with the two points here, though the hefty 13.5-point line is hard to take on for a team that has earned six of its eight wins by eight points or less.
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Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights Tip
We're tipping Melbourne Storm to win at $1.20 odds.
Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights Teams
Storm team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Grant Anderson 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Christian Welch 9. Harry Grant 10. Tui Kamikamica 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Bronson Garlick 15. Trent Loiero 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Joe Chan 19. Jack Howarth 20. Young Tonumaipea 21. Kane Bradley 22. Dean Ieremia
Knights team: 1. David Armstrong 2. Enari Tuala 3. Dane Gagai 4. Krystian Mapapalangi 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jack Cogger 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Kai Pearce-Paul 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Adam Elliott 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Tyson Frizell 17. Brodie Jones 18. Thomas Cant 19. Mathew Croker 20. Will Pryce 21. Jack Hetherington 22. Fletcher Sharpe