Melbourne are wary of a free-wheeling Parramatta already with an eye on next NRL season when they clash at AAMI Park on Friday night.
Despite their contrasting ladder positions, the third-placed Storm are out to avoid a third consecutive loss while the second-last Eels can boast three straight wins if they pull off an upset victory.
Defending champions Melbourne fell to fellow heavyweight Cronulla last round while Parramatta smashed St George Illawarra, with Jarryd Hayne scoring his first hat-trick in five years and Mitchell Moses setting up four tries and grabbing one himself.
Melbourne centre Curtis Scott said the Eels were playing like they had nothing to lose, which made them dangerous.
"They're playing pretty much for nothing as they can't make the finals," Scott said.
"They'll be coming down here trying to knock off the Melbourne Storm to pump up their tyres for next season."
Scott said the Storm were yet to complete their review of the Sharks' loss but it was clear where the major weakness was.
"We're just giving away too much footy and not completing. I think it was only 61 per cent in the first half," the 20-year-old said.
"In games where we complete over 80 per cent we are beating teams by 30 points so it's simple - we just need to hang on to the footy."
Scott said the Eels' season was a reminder about how quickly things could change in the NRL.
Their last meeting was in a qualifying final, won by the Storm by two points last September.
"We versed them in the first final and they were top four so it's amazing how things change," he said.
"They were probably backed to be up there again this year but things didn't go so well for them.
"But they've been playing really well lately."
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