The 2025 NRL season has reached the pinnacle, with the Melbourne Storm up against the Brisbane Broncos. It promises to be a thriller with two evenly matched teams, both in great form.
Speaking on the tenth episode of ESPN's Boom Rookies with Grub podcast, former Bulldogs and NSW State of Origin star Josh Reynolds believes playing at night will be a big advantage to the Storm.
"The biggest impact on who wins this game, is that it's a night game. I really think it changes the way the Broncos play. They can't play the open style, 4 o'clock-at-Suncorp-Stadium like they did on the weekend, open, throwing the ball around, Reece Walsh throwing 40 metre spiral cut outs to his winger. It's not going to be like that," Reynolds said.
"I think the Melbourne Storm go there, they'll be very clinical, they'll stick to their Melbourne style of play. In Melbourne it's dewy every Friday night they play, a lot of the time, so they are used to this, lets play our footy, get our plays on, drop it into the corner and let's see how we go. What a test for the Broncos.
"What they have to do is break the Melbourne mold, break their defence. Melbourne have an unorthodox style of play. Sometimes Harry Grant jumps out one way and he doesn't hardly know where he is going, but Munster knows to be flat and on the ad line because Grant has already got the markers, he gets the ball, Munster does his thing, stands in tackles, palms, plays the ball, but then Jahrome Hughes is around the ball because they just have that flow and that feel for each other.
"I think [Eliesa] Katoa is going to have an impact somewhere in the game. I actually think it might be close early. It's going to be a nice Hughes kick for Katoa. He is a highlight guy. He is going to be a leader, I don't mind him for a Clive Churchill medal win.
"I just think Melbourne are going to be a little bit too, big game ready. I think they will get it done in a clinical performance, not a flashy one. I just feel they are going to contain them. In big games Melbourne's edge defence come up with the right reads at all times, they always do, they shut teams down, they have done it for years. So I'm looking for them to win off the back of a big defensive game, but in a tight one.
"Storm to win 14-12."
For the full video of all episodes visit ESPN Australia's YouTube page.