Manley is in a nightmare race, losing four of their last five games as well as their biggest star, who will miss the rest of the season.
Yet it’s not the form of the team or the absence of Tom Trobozevic that has Andrew Johns worried for the Sea Eagles when they play Storm on Thursday night.
No, it combines three factors that make it almost impossible for an opponent to lose a storm.
Read more: The Kyrgyz-Tomic conflict erupted into an ugly battle of words
Read more: Aussie dishes upset the huge Roland-Garos
Read more: Andrew Johns, Brad Fitler clash over split NRL question
“I have a theory,” Johns told Brad Fitler for the Wide World of Sports. Tips from Freddie and VIII.
“You play Melbourne at home and it’s wet and at night, Melbourne wins. So for me Melbourne wins and wins well.”
Fitler also mentioned the storm, although he took a more systematic approach, listing the returning Melbourne stars in contrast to Trobozevic’s absence.
Although Storm are heavy favorites, they have lost their last two games by a wide margin in rare rough patches.
What was presented as the initial showdown of the small Premiership saw the Storm Panthers lose 32-6 before committing suicide in stunning fashion near Cowboys 36-6 on Saturday.
Craig Bellamy’s side have been weakened since then but if Storm fails to turn things around with a win statement against Manley, their Premiership credentials for this season will still face their most serious questions.
Scroll down for the current leaderboard and round 12 tips from Johns, Brad Fitler and all the expert tipsters from Nine!
Andrew Johns: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Knight, Rabbit, Shark, Dragon, Rider
Brad Fitler: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Nights, Rabbit, Rooster, Dragon, Rider
Jonathan Thurston: Storm, Cowboy, Broncos, Warrior, Tiger, Shark, Dragon Rider
Paul Galen: Storm, Panther, Titan, Knight, Rabbit, Shark, Dragon, Eagle
Peter Saltis: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Nights, Rabbit, Rooster, Dragon, Rider
Allana Ferguson: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Night, Rabbit, Shark, Bulldog, Eagle
Billy Slater: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Night, Rabbit, Shark, Bulldog, Eagle
Joey finalizes his blues team: Freddie and The Itham – Round 12
Ruan Sims: Storm, Panthers, Broncos, Warriors, Tigers, Roasters, Dragons, Eagles
Michael Chamas: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Warrior, Rabbit, Rooster, Dragon, Eagle
Dave Middleton: Storm, Panthers, Broncos, Knights, Rabitohs, Roosters, Dragons, Ile
Darren Locker: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Knight, Rabbit, Shark, Bulldog, Rider
Matt Thompson: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Knights, South, Shark, Dragon, Eagle
Mole: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Warrior, Rabbit, Shark, Dragon, Eagle
Ben Glover: Storm, Panther, Broncos, Knight, Rabbit, Shark, Dragon, Eagle
To get a daily dose of the best breaking news and exclusive content from the Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter Click here!
