Storm keen to become a complete package

IT’S back to the drawing board for the Storm after their poor completion wrecked their game plan to topple NRL front-runners the Dragons.

The premiers headed to Jubilee Oval with high hopes after three big wins but couldn’t match the Dragons.

An obvious statistic was their poor set completion rate of 65 per cent, with the figures telling the story in each of the Storm’s defeats this season.

Each time they have completed sets at more than 70 per cent they’ve won.

Veteran Ryan Hoffman said the team had worked hard to get on top of their ball control and it was frustrating to take a step backwards.

“We turned over way too much ball and that’s been a common thread after a loss,” the second-rower said.

“If you look at the stats we had to make a hell of a lot more tackles than them but that was all our own doing.

“It’s disappointing but we need to see it as a bit of a blip so we need to refocus ourselves.”

Melbourne’s next task is stopping Gold Coast at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday afternoon after selling their home game.

While it may have paid off financially when they did the same last year it didn’t on the scoreboard, when the Titans caused a 38-36 boilover.

Gold Coast are struggling with injuries and form but Hoffman said the Storm won’t be taking them lightly.

“It’s an interesting fixture with us taking our home game up there,” he said.

“We’re not going to take their form into account, just as I’m sure they won’t either.”