Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels Tips and Prediction
How this game shapes up
Craig Bellamy does not lose in Round 1.
Twenty three straight opening wins and Melbourne walk into 2026 chasing number 24 at AAMI Park.
The Storm have had an unsettled offseason with Papenhuyzen retiring and Katoa and Coates missing, but the spine of Munster, Hughes and Harry Grant is intact. That alone
keeps standards high.Parramatta improved late last season under Jason Ryles, winning five of their last seven and defending far better. But this is a new halves combination and a reshaped backline walking into one of the toughest Round 1 assignments in the league.
This feels like a controlled, defensive battle rather than a points fest.
Best Bets
Melbourne Storm 1-12 Winning Margin
The Storm own Round 1. Six straight wins over Parramatta and a history of starting seasons strong defensively makes it hard to step away. Melbourne win, but the reshuffle suggests a tighter margin.
Will Warbrick Anytime Tryscorer
Warbrick has scored in his last four matches and his last four against the Eels. With Coates sidelined and changes around the backline, he shapes as a key red zone target.
What could go wrong?
If Parramatta’s new halves pairing clicks immediately and Mitch Moses controls field position, the Eels can keep this deep into the second half.
And if Melbourne’s new combinations take longer than expected to settle, the attacking fluency may not be there early.