2025 R25 Fri - Melbourne 20-14 Canterbury @ AAMI

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - Round 25
Melbourne Storm v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri (TICKETS)

Friday 22 August 2025
NRL kickoff 8pm
Live on Fox, Kayo, Nine, 9Now

1. Cameron Munster
2. Grant Anderson
3. Marion Seve
4. Nick Meaney
5. Xavier Coates
6. Jonah Pezet
7. Tyran Wishart
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Harry Grant
10. Josh King
11. Joe Chan
12. Eliesa Katoa
13. Trent Loiero

14. Bronson Garlick
15. Alec MacDonald
16. Tui Kamikamica
17. Ativalu Lisati

18. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown
19. Lazarus Vaalepu
20. Kane Bradley
21. Ryan Papenhuyzen
22. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Ins & Outs
Out: Shawn Blore (second row)
In: Bronson Garlick (bench)
Changes: Joe Chan (bench to second row)

1. Connor Tracey
2. Jacob Kiraz
3. Bronson Xerri
4. Stephen Crichton
5. Enari Tuala
6. Matt Burton
7. Lachlan Galvin
8. Max King
9. Bailey Hayward
10. Samuel Hughes
11. Viliame Kikau
12. Jacob Preston
13. Jaeman Salmon

14. Kurt Mann
15. Harry Hayes
16. Josh Curran
17. Reed Mahoney

19. Toby Sexton
20. Jake Turpin
21. Daniel Suluka-Fifita
22. Marcelo Montoya
23. Sitili Tupouniua

Ins & Outs
Unchanged

Referee: Adam Gee
Sideline Officials: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamaski, Dave Munro
Video Referee: Ashley Klein

HEAD TO HEAD - 1998 - 2024​

	TOTAL	MELBOURNE	CANTERBURY	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	46	24	22	0
AAMI	11	7	4	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2020	Round 13	MELBOURNE 41-10	Sunshine Coast	3432
2021	Round 5	MELBOURNE 52-18	ANZ	5104
2022	Round 4	MELBOURNE 44-0	AAMI	13437
2023	Round 2	CANTERBURY 26-12	AAMI	17248
2024	Round 6	MELBOURNE 16-14	AAMI	16065

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2003	Round 22	CANTERBURY 50-4	Showground	9819
2008	Round 12	MELBOURNE 46-0	Olympic Park	12251

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 26	Round 27
MELBOURNE	SYDNEY (H)	BRISBANE (A)
CANTERBURY	PENRITH (H)	CRONULLA (H)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 22		Round 23		Round 24
MELBOURNE	PARRAMATTA	W 16-10	BRISBANE	W 22-2	PENRITH	W 22-18
CANTERBURY	WESTS TIGERS	L 14-28	WARRIORS	W 32-14	SYDNEY	L 12-32

STATE OF PLAY: 2025 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
MELBOURNE	2nd	21	3	16-5-0	627	375
CANTERBURY	3rd	21	3	15-6-0	486	366

LOWER GRADES
MELBOURNE	CANTERBURY
NSW Cup (North Sydney) v Manly, North Sydney Oval, Sunday, 3:00pm Jersey Flegg v Manly, Seabrook Reserve, Saturday, 2:00pm Hostplus Cup (Brisbane) v Western, Toowoomba Sports Ground, Saturday, 2:30pm Hostplus Cup (Sunshine Coast) v Ipswich, North Ipswich Reserve, Saturday, 3:40pm	NSW Cup v Western Suburbs (WST), Lidcombe Oval, Saturday, 2:00pm Jersey Flegg v Wests Tigers, Lidcombe Oval, Saturday, 2:00pm

 

[Valheru]

Bulldogs looking pedestrian in attack at the moment and you need more than that to score against the storm. Dogs defence will keep it getting out of control but Storm to win 22-10 or similar.

 

[Fangs]

Another big one.

Melbourne have a very tough run to end the year. Stole a victory last week despite not being the better team for most of the match. Good teams do that.

Bulldogs under a mountain of pressure. Similar to Melbourne in that they have a very tough end to the season. Haven't been the same team since they lost to Penrith in round 17. Mucking around with their spine when they should be trying to settle into the home stretch of the season.

On the fence for this one though. Could see a Dogs upset or just another Melbourne win.

 

[moffla]

This is a massive chance for Storm to rest players over the last two rounds. Gotta take advantage of the opportunity. I feel like last week was a massive confidence booster leading into finals so I expect us to get the job done with relative comfort. Either way I am sure we'll be seeing each other week 1 of finals!

 

[Apey]

Haven't been the same team since they lost to Penrith in round 17.

Nice try, they lost to the Dolphins 44 - 8 three games prior to the Panthers, beating notoriously strong teams Parra and Souths in between.

They've been overrated all year and need to find something soon if they don't want to be going out in straight sets.

 

[speedster]

Whips are cracking now down the home stretch. So are the Dogs.

Cracking that is. Was surprised not at the loss last week but they way they were dominated by a fringe top 8 side (who are in red hot form it must be said).

Storm to shorten them up further.

 

[Fangs]

Nice try, they lost to the Dolphins 44 - 8 three games prior to the Panthers, beating notoriously strong teams Parra and Souths in between.

They've been overrated all year and need to find something soon if they don't want to be going out in straight sets.

Losing to a team who won't make the finals doesn't mean much. I also believe they had a number of players out for that fixture.

There is no doubt about it. The Penrith Panthers broke the Canterbury Bulldogs.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Oh I just realised I sat through Melbournes biggest win against us at Olympic Park. Only stayed hoping we would score a try and I could be a goose to the Melbourne supporters.

 

[Warrimoo3]

I wouldn’t write off the Dogs. Panthers were doing it comfortably in the grind against the Storm and it all changed after the panic pass by Blaize Talagi. Even then the Panthers would have won if Leota didn’t move to his left.

The Dogs have the defence to strangle the Storm attack . More so with the absence of Jerohme Hughes. Coates has been bailing the Storm out of trouble with his aerial acrobatics so it will be interesting to see who Ciraldo gives the job to of marking him. The obvious one is Crichton who could swap with the Bulldogs winger for the bomb at the end of the set. But that would be problematic as the Storm could bomb early in the tackle count . And they might run it instead .

The other question mark is how will the Bulldogs come up from a very physical contest with the Roosters. Their high intensity defence week in week out has to take its toll over a long season.

Having said all that I think the Bulldogs’ defence will suffocate the Storm. Bulldogs by 10.

 

[mongoose]

Losing to a team who won't make the finals doesn't mean much. I also believe they had a number of players out for that fixture.

There is no doubt about it. The Penrith Panthers broke the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Losing the the Broncos in the last 10 minutes at Accor would have broken them more than any other game, not the Panthers game lol

 

[Fangs]

Losing the the Broncos in the last 10 minutes at Accor would have broken them more than any other game, not the Panthers game lol

Whether you win or lose the pain of battle hurts long after you play the Panthers. Recovery can take months.

And that is why I'm on the Dogs. The Storm will do extremely well to win after Penrith softened them up.

 

[ouwet]

Geez some of you guys talk gibberish lol!

Yes, the Broncos, Penrith, Tigers Dolphins have all broken us!

If it makes you all feel better even Canberra broke us after the 1st half in our game against them! We've forgotten the 2nd half and have nightmares!

 

[Fangs]

Geez some of you guys talk gibberish lol!

Yes, the Broncos, Penrith, Tigers Dolphins have all broken us!

If it makes you all feel better even Canberra broke us after the 1st half in our game against them! We've forgotten the 2nd half and have nightmares!

You need to stay calm and reserve your strength. Your game doesn't start until 8.00pm AEST on Friday.

 

[ouwet]

You need to stay calm and reserve your strength. Your game doesn't start until 8.00pm AEST on Friday.

 

[speedster]

 

[SLRBRONCOS]

This is a massive chance for Storm to rest players over the last two rounds. Gotta take advantage of the opportunity. I feel like last week was a massive confidence booster leading into finals so I expect us to get the job done with relative comfort. Either way I am sure we'll be seeing each other week 1 of finals!

Looking at the draw it is still a possibility that if the Broncos win against you guys in round 27 we could jump Penrith/Wahs into 4th, and you guys might be cemented into 2nd. Obviously Riff/Wah could keep winning and snuff any chance of that out however I think Bellamy would prefer to finish 2nd and play the Bulldogs than 1st and play Penrith. If this is on the table of possibilities before round 27 it might will be interesting to see if he goes all in the next couple of rounds then rests everyone from travel.

I also think that coaches won't want the Roosters anywhere near the 8 given how dangerous they are looking, so I don't think he'll rest players that week.

 

[speedster]

Too early to be taking the foot off the gas when positions are still so tight.

 

[Warrimoo3]

I wouldn’t write off the Dogs. Panthers were doing it comfortably in the grind against the Storm and it all changed after the panic pass by Blaize Talagi. Even then the Panthers would have won if Leota didn’t move to his left.

The Dogs have the defence to strangle the Storm attack . More so with the absence of Jerohme Hughes. Coates has been bailing the Storm out of trouble with his aerial acrobatics so it will be interesting to see who Ciraldo gives the job to of marking him. The obvious one is Crichton who could swap with the Bulldogs winger for the bomb at the end of the set. But that would be problematic as the Storm could bomb early in the tackle count . And they might run it instead .

The other question mark is how will the Bulldogs come up from a very physical contest with the Roosters. Their high intensity defence week in week out has to take its toll over a long season.

Having said all that I think the Bulldogs’ defence will suffocate the Storm. Bulldogs by 10.

Montoya will be back to mark Oates

 

[Stinkfinger]

If Dogs can keep the Storm in their own half they are a show. But if they can't it's bombs away. I trust they'll have Kiraz on Coates.

 

[Vic Mackey]

THis is good matchup for Canterbury. Heading down to Melbourne, no one gives them a chance. The Storm still have key players out and their forwards wont bully the Dodg like Eassts did. Ciraldo talked up changes in the press conference so lets see if he backs it up. I expect Dogs to come down with a real siege mentality, throw a bit of caution to the wind and worry the Storm. Going for the upset here, Dogs by 2