24 Sep 2016

Coach wants lightning start from Storm

4:52 pm on 24 September 2016

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy is looking for a strong start from his side against the Canberra Raiders in tonight's National Rugby League preliminary final in Melbourne.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy. Photo: Photosport

The Storm failed to trouble the Raiders when they lost 22-8 in round 23 last month and Bellamy said they never got started in that game.

"Against Canberra you need to be on your game straight away," said Bellamy.

"We found that out when we played them six weeks ago. They scored on the first set inside a minute," he said.

"That just goes to show how dangerous a team they can be, so we need to start with a whole heap more energy than the last time we played them."

The Storm last won the Premiership in 2012 while the last of the Raiders three titles came in 1994.

The winner of tonight's match in Melbourne will meet Cronulla in next weekend's grand final after the Sharks knocked out the defending champion North Queensland Cowboys on Friday, 32-20.

Kick off in Melbourne is at 9.40PM NZT.

-RNZ