NRL: Storm's super six pack fear another hangover

Greg Inglis is one of six Melbourne players to appear in each of the club's four straight grand finals. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - They're the super six-pack. Melbourne's half dozen of stars to play in each of the club's four straight grand finals.

And, as much as some don't like to admit it, the fear of a third defeat from four deciders is hard to ignore.

"You've just got to block it out and focus on the positives as much as you can and believe that you can do it," said lock Dallas Johnson.

"Most of us do know what it's like to lose a grand final and we don't want to have that feeling ever again."

Johnson is one of the six-pack along with fullback Billy Slater, Steve Turner, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk and Brett White.

Cameron Smith and Ryan Hoffman would have made it an even eight to play every grand final, but suspension and injury kept them out of the 2008 loss to Manly.

Of those eight, you can add prop Jeff Lima to the current squad who played in the club's premiership win in 2007.

Then there's the likes of Adam Blair who played in their 2006 and 2008 loss, while prop Scott Anderson was also there last year.

While there's the old adage that you have to lose a grand final to know how to win one, Hoffman says that you can't go into a decider fearing another defeat but rather be determined to learn from the mistakes of your last loss.

"You don't have fear of failure. We are going out there to do the process we feel will help us win," said Hoffman.

"If you go out there fearing failure you've already pegged yourself into a corner.

"You learn from the past and that is what you try to fix."

Of course the other constant in Melbourne's run of grand final appearances has been super coach Craig Bellamy.

Bellamy admitted that he was more satisfied reaching this year's decider than the previous three simply because of the personnel he had lost over the past four years.

"I don't know if it means more to me but it's probably a bit more satisfying I suppose," Bellamy said.

"You don't want to be sitting back on that and just happy to be there. We don't want to be making up the numbers.

"It's very satisfying for this team to do what they've done so far and hopefully we can go another step next week."

While many predicted Melbourne's reign as an NRL powerhouse would come to an end this season, Slater says the club was so successful because they didn't let those death-riders affect their preparations for another dominant season.

"The biggest thing is not letting outside influences creep into our club," said Slater.

"There's been a lot of talk how salary cap has depleted our list and how it's not our time now, we're on the way down.

"Craig always told us that is rubbish and the guys that have been given an opportunity to play in our side have done a fantastic job."

- AAP