KEY POINTS:
Days ago departing Melbourne veteran Matt Geyer didn't doubt the Storm's NRL premiership desire.
But after Melbourne were sensationally ambushed by the New Zealand Warriors last weekend, he isn't so sure.
When the Storm arrived in Brisbane today for Saturday night's knockout finals clash with the Broncos, Geyer was brutally honest when asked if Melbourne still had that premiership hunger.
"If you had asked me six days ago I would have said 'yes' (but), we've got to wait until Saturday (to find out)," he said.
"We say a lot of words now and talk about what you want but until you are running around after the kickoff, it will show if we still have that hunger."
But Storm coach Craig Bellamy not only claimed Melbourne were hungry, they were downright ravenous.
"If we weren't a hungry team we wouldn't have finished where we did after the competition rounds," he said of a team that claimed yet another minor premiership this season.
"We didn't get the result last week but if you just want to go on that game I think that (doubting Melbourne's hunger) is a bit harsh.
"It's a close competition, anyone can beat anyone else on the day.
"To finish on top of the competition table after 26 rounds - I am thinking we are reasonably hungry, if not starving."
All the signs point toward a Melbourne win on the weekend.
The Broncos are amazingly 0-5 in finals football at Suncorp Stadium - and two of those losses are to Melbourne.
The Broncos would also be forgiven for being distracted by not one but two off-field controversies.
To put the Broncos dramas in perspective, even AFL-saturated Melbourne had heard about them.
But Geyer still cut a concerned figure at the Brisbane airport today.
Asked if the shock 18-15 opening finals loss to the Warriors had been a wake-up call, Geyer said: "I hope so, if not we are in for another on Saturday night.
"We played like a team with a game in hand, so hopefully this week we play like one who doesn't.
"I just think the Warriors wanted it more than us. If you want to put that down to intensity or being desperate..."
Geyer tried to play down the rivalry with Brisbane, despite their long history of heated clashes stoked by the Broncos' upset 2006 premiership victory over the Storm.
"I don't think if there's any niggle. There is plenty of respect there," he said.
Meanwhile, Bellamy said backrower Ryan Hoffman (ankle) was the Storm's "biggest concern" and would be given until the last minute to prove his fitness.
If he fails a fitness test, Jeremy Smith will slot into the starting side.
- AAP
