Melbourne will attempt to rattle Cooper Cronk as the master No.7 readies for an emotional showdown with his former NRL club.
The now Sydney Rooster will line up against the Storm for the first time in his storied career at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
After 323 games across 14 seasons and four grand final wins (though their 2007 and 2009 titles were struck out due to the salary cap scandal) with the men in purple, Cronk is remembered as one of the club’s all-time greats.
“He was just part of the furniture at Melbourne for 14 years,” Storm back-rower Ryan Hoffman said.
“He’s a very, very close friend of quite a few of us. You take it back like you do at Origin – you play against the jersey, not the person.”
However that doesn’t mean Melbourne will pull punches.
While it’s taken time for the master playmaker to adapt to life at Bondi Junction, Trent Robinson’s side are showing signs of hitting their straps after winning their past four.
Hoffman said his former teammate had put his stamp on the Tri-Colours and they would attempt to ruffle his feathers like they would any rival pivot.
“You always try to get stuck into the opposition halfback no matter who it is and it just happens to be Cooper this week,” Hoffman said.
Robinson said it was a big occasion for Cronk however there were no cracks in his steely, methodical facade.
“It’s hard to get more professional than professional and that’s the way he’s been every day that he’s been with us,” Robinson said.
“This match is important for him, he’s an over-300-gamer. But he’s a Rooster (now), he’s one of ours and that’s the way he wants it and how we want it.”
Robinson confirmed Dylan Napa, Latrell Mitchell and James Tedesco would back up following Sunday’s State of Origin II.
Boyd Cordner (concussion) was ruled out earlier in the week while prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves wasn’t considered after returning from Denver after representing New Zealand in the mid-year Test on Wednesday.
Melbourne hope to have New Zealand Test prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona despite his horror travel schedule.
Asofa-Solomona was with his Storm teammates as they flew to Adelaide on Thursday and will be given every opportunity to prove he’s fit.
The Storm are also confident Billy Slater, Will Chambers, Cameron Munster, Josh Addo-Carr and Felise Kaufusi will back up following Origin II.
STATS THAT MATTER
* Since 2005 the Storm has won 15 of 23 matches against the Roosters, including four of their past five.
* Melbourne have the lowest completion rate in the competition (73.5 per cent) and the Roosters the second lowest (73.6 per cent).