The Sydney Roosters are aiming to maintain their position in the race for the minor premiership as they head south to face the Storm on Saturday night. Melbourne currently leads the competition by four points ahead of the Panthers, with the Roosters trailing by an additional two points in third place.

In their previous encounter in Round 7 at Sydney, the Storm secured a hard-fought 18-12 victory over the Roosters, with Xavier Coates making a decisive impact. Since then, Trent Robinson’s team has significantly improved their attacking prowess, now boasting the most potent offense in the league. They enter the match on the back of a four-game winning streak, scoring a total of 136 points before their recent bye.

Facing Melbourne at their home ground presents a fresh challenge, as the Storm have lost just one game at home this season and are on a five-game winning streak themselves, also benefitting from a bye in Round 19. Coach Craig Bellamy is optimistic about the potential return of Harry Grant and Nick Meaney from injury, following their involvement in the State of Origin decider.

Meanwhile, the Roosters are monitoring the fitness of their Origin representatives Lindsay Collins, Spencer Leniu, and Angus Crichton, who featured in the recent match at Suncorp Stadium and are key figures in their lineup.

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