pan66.com experts Brett Kimmorley and Steve Renouf have donned their coaching caps and provided a rundown of what it will take to win, who the key players are and their all-important final instructions.
Renouf has put himself in Trent Robinson's shoes for Saturday night's showdown, while Kimmorley is calling the shots for the Storm.
Plan of attack
Renouf
We'll look to pick our spots when to play to our mobile forwards and centres on the fringes and we'll be ready for the challenge of meeting Melbourne in the middle. We need to stay patient and be prepared to work hard to create scoring opportunities against that tough Storm defence. If we play our game I'm confident we have enough match-winners to get us home.
Kimmorley
We're going to challenge the middle. I've got the biggest front-row combination in the competition and that's where we had a lot of success last week in the way we started fast. We've got a dummy-half who has better pass/run/kick decision-making skills than anyone in the competition and they're missing one of their biggest and most experienced forwards on Saturday.
Manu hitting straps at right time
Plan in defence
Renouf
I like how we did it in the first week of the finals against Souths and the way we got up in their face. We need to have the same defensive effort and commitment this week and make sure we're cutting down the time of the opposition. In some aspects, we nearly have to play them at their own game and just chop off everything they're trying to do.
Match: Roosters v Storm
Finals Week 3 -
home Team
Roosters
2nd Position
away Team
Storm
1st Position
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Kimmorley
We have to count numbers when Luke Keary's on the short side because we can't get that wrong and allow a soft overlap try. We know what Cooper Cronk is going to do because he did it for us for so many years - he's going to stand around and kick the ball to the corners, so we have to take some time off his kicking game. If you're around James Tedesco don't stop moving because he not only beats the player in front of him, he beats the two or three around him.
My key player
Renouf
Luke Keary. I've got a team sprinkled with superstars but Keary's the one that makes us tick with his special ability to create opportunities from nothing. Playing off the back of our hard-working forward pack, he can go out to Latrell and Manu and that leaves them open to do what they do.
Kimmorley
Cameron Munster. His kicking game will be very important and even more important than that is his running game because that's his greatest attribute. Rather than just going out there to game manage, I want to see him running the ball on Saturday, using his strength and footwork and trusting his instincts.
Should Friend start ahead of Verrills?
The opposition danger man
Renouf
Cameron Smith. It's probably not a bad tactic to try to frustrate him out of the game because he showed last week that you might get a reaction if you get under his skin. He's going to run the show but if he gets a bee in his bonnet it might put him off his game a bit.
Kimmorley
James Tedesco is certainly the key for them. He looks like being the Dally M Medal winner, in Origin he still makes 200 metres and generally breaks about 15 tackles a game. He's got the ability to push you off and spin off and keep rolling, so if we can not let him make one line break we've done an unbelievable job.
Munster says Scott can handle Latrell
We will win if we ...
Renouf
A big part of our game plan is to do everything quick in attack and defence. We need to be precise but let's do it at speed and see if they can stay with us. We know what Melbourne want to do, so let's not let them dictate the way the game is played. Let's impose our will on them and frustrate them, let's play the style and tempo we want to play.
Kimmorley
We need to start our sets off really well. Our back five have to catch the ball and return strongly to win us some momentum. If we put kick pressure on Cronk and stop him making those pinpoint kicks, that'll allow my big men to get the Roosters going backwards before we have to run into them.
Final message
Renouf
We know what we're doing and there's not too much we have to change, as long as we're careful about not getting caught up in that wrestle in the middle. Let's play them on the fringes and play with speed and the rest will come from that.
Kimmorley
We need to start fast because that's been the big difference in our last two games. The big focus is empty the tank in the first 20 minutes of the game and give yourselves a chance for the adrenaline to kick in and hold you for the next 60.
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