Sunday 25 November 2012 6:09 PM
With the release of the NRL Draw for 2013 turning many heads and sparking many debates, there’s one question Melbourne Storm fans need answering: What’s in it for us?
So, having taken a closer look at the fixture, we now know our opponents and match details until the end of July.
What can we expect?
This is the first time the NRL has decided to release details for 20 rounds and it’s a great help for those passionate fans looking to travel interstate for away games in 2013. It’s always a big lift for the team to see purple pride away from home, and with this early information, it will hopefully mean that more fans will travel interstate.
Melbourne are fortunate in their even spread of home games throughout the year. This gives the team the opportunity to play to a home crowd more regularly, as well as lessen the blow of travelling.
However, there are five occasions where Melbourne Storm will have five day turnarounds between matches. This occurs between Rounds 2-3 (Cowboys – Bulldogs), Rounds 5-6 (Tigers – Rabbitohs), Rounds 10-11 (Manly – Roosters), and Rounds 15-16 (Titans – Tigers) and Rounds 16 – 17 (Tigers – Broncos) where the team will be facing some strong opposition.
Melbourne also has a tough start to the season, playing four teams that placed in the top 8 in 2012 in the first six rounds of 2013. Also, don’t forget that the team will play in the World Club Challenge in England on February 22, and this will hinder their pre-season preparation.
Having looked at all of that, there’s one other question: which games should one go to?
For myself, I have the burden of having to complete Year 12 next year, but Melbourne will be having plenty of blockbuster games at AAMI Park to take my mind off of painful Literature work. Here’s a look at some of them.
Round 3 v Canterbury Bulldogs (home)
A Grand Final re-match is always an exciting game, and in 2013 these two teams meet in Round 3. The game will be played on a Thursday night and it will be a tough match, with the Bulldogs out to seek revenge. Make sure they’re intimidated by overwhelming amounts of purple.
Round 4 v Brisbane Broncos (away)
This game will be played at Suncorp Stadium on Good Friday. The Broncos look to be one of the younger teams in the competition, and they’ll be hoping that their energy will cover the departure of some big names such as Petero Civoniceva. Their rivalry with the Storm will make this an interesting battle.
Round 10 v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (home)
I know that if I had to pick who Melbourne’s biggest rivals are, it would certainly be Manly. It’s been a long-standing, bitter, fierce, occasionally violent battle that we’ve witnessed in past years, with the most recent meeting occurring in the third week of finals where Melbourne came away with a convincing win. The odds are that Manly will be looking for revenge, and will be determined to get it.
Round 13 v Cronulla Sharks (home)
The Sharks have certainly been an underrated team, but with a generally solid performance in 2012, they saw themselves finish seventh on the competition ladder. With some new signings such as Beau Ryan and Chris Heighington, they will be lurking as a competitive team in 2013, and a good test for Melbourne.
Round 21 v Canberra Raiders (away)
This team has seen a huge improvement in their form in the past couple of years, and despite several crippling injuries to key players in the team, the Raiders accomplished a solid sixth position on the ladder in 2012. With the pre-season looming as a chance to get back to full strength, the Raiders may be the team to watch in 2013.
Lastly, make sure you don’t get caught up in all of this fixture excitement: kick-off for the 2013 NRL Season is still 15 weeks away! *sob*
Kate is a member of the Storm writers group. Check out her, and more profiles here
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