HOME 300TH FOR BILLY
BILLY Slater will be given every chance to prove his fitness and play his 300th NRL game in Melbourne Storm’s first home match of the season this Saturday night.
The Storm kick-started their premiership defence with a Cameron Munster-led 36-18 dismantling of Canterbury in Perth at the weekend.
Slater missed the game with a shoulder complaint, but will be determined to celebrate the milestone against Wests Tigers at AAMI Park.
Munster starred at the back with three try-assists against the Bulldogs, but he is set to shift back to five-eighth to accommodate Slater.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy said Munster “turned the game” for his side in its opening round win.
“At the moment probably No.1 is his (Munster’s) best position because he’s probably played there more,” he said.
“The more time he gets at the No.6 he will be able to play that position as well as he plays fullback.
“It’s pretty exciting to see what he’s doing.”
Under Bellamy, the Storm have amassed an incredible first-round record of winning their season opener every year since 2005.
“For the last few years we’ve made a point of it,” Bellamy said. “I wasn’t sure how many it was and Cam made the point after the game that it was 14 straight.
“I think that’s a bit of an indication of how hard our guys work in the off-season.
“Our pre-season we see as pretty important and we like to think players get a pre-season at our club, they’re going to be well prepared for the season. “
Storm’s last season-opening loss was against Newcastle in 2004 .