Melbourne's rivals have turned up the heat on the Storm, declaring the pressure is all on them ahead of this year's NRL finals series.
Melbourne's 44-point premiership-haul was the largest of any team since their salary cap-enhanced side of 2007, as was their six-point gap at the top of the ladder.
The Storm are also the shortest price favourites of any team to win the competition since their salary-cap-enhanced side of 2008, who eventually lost that year's grand final by a record 40-0 margin to Manly.
Rival finals captains and senior players prepared to name their competition favourites - aside from themselves - all nominated Melbourne on Monday as the most likely premiers.
But according to Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans, the Storm's dominant season could only act to pile more pressure on the minor premiers in September as he too declared them the favourites.
"We haven't seen that for a while - such a dominant 26 weeks from a team," Cherry-Evans said.
"There is an argument there is a bit of pressure on the Melbourne Storm to produce what they've just done in the regular season in the finals now.
"They've got the experienced players in their side to do that, but there are seven sides waiting just behind them for an opportunity to win."
Roosters captain Jake Friend and stand-in Penrith skipper Peter Wallace also labelled the Storm as the "benchmark".
Senior Broncos forward Sam Thaiday agreed, but said Cronulla and Parramatta shaped as the most likely challengers outside of themselves.
"Definitely Melbourne have been the benchmark all year," he said.
"You can never rule out the Sharks. To be honest, as a Broncos player, the Eels have been a team that are tough to beat for us this year.
"I'm sure they'll shake up a few teams in this finals series as well."
But despite the numbers stacked in their favour, Cameron Smith has denied suggestions the title is his side's to lose.
"I don't see it that way at all," Smith said.
"There are eight teams here today that have every chance of winning. The competition is quite even now. Any one can beat any other team on their day.
"We're not going into this week or this finals campaign thinking 'who are we going to meet in the grand final' or 'who is going to beat us for this premiership'."
Share
