BELLAMY’S PLEDGE

STORM coach Craig Bellamy has declared Melbourne will not buckle under the weight of expectation after producing one of the most dominant seasons in NRL history.

The Storm bolted into next Sunday’s grand final with a 30-0 thumping of the Broncos at AAMI Park on Friday night.

The scoreboard may have flattered Melbourne but it was another comfortable victory in what has been a near faultless season for the minor premiers. Melbourne won 20 of 24 matches in the regular season and clinched back-to-back grand final appearances by winning their two finals games at home.

Only 10 teams in the game’s 109-year history have won at least 20 regular season games.

Melbourne’s dominant seasons in 2006 (20 wins from 24 games) and 2007 (21 of 24) were later clouded by a salary cap scandal, meaning this year has been the club’s most suc- cessful season in its history. The Storm finished three wins clear of second-placed Sydney Roosters and are short-priced favourites to win the ANZ Stadium decider.

Expectation and pressure have cruelled many previous premiership campaigns but Bellamy said that would not be a problem for the Storm.

“Expectation comes from the outside,” Bellamy said.

“With all due respect, we don’t take too much notice of what’s said outside.

“You guys (media) and anybody else who wants to commentate on what we need to do, what we haven’t been doing and what we have been doing – you’re not in the club and around our training or meetings.

“We’ve certainly got expectations but the expectations are what we expect. They come from the inside. They are the ones important to us.

“When we decide on how to do things, especially at this time of the year, we keep things really simple. Sometimes there is some of the white noise outside of our club that just complicates things, especially if some the players think about it.

“They are encouraged to not worry about what’s said outside and get on with trying to satisfy our expectations as a team, club, players, coaches and we go from there.”

Melbourne claimed last year’s minor premiership but lost 14-12 in a thrilling grand final against Cronulla.