
Consistency has been the worst nightmare for the New Zealand side this season, as they have failed to string together consecutive wins in the campaign.
They sit ninth on the ladder level with the eighth-placed St George Illawarra Dragons above them and a victory against the Storm will see them rise to seventh.
Melbourne has named four of their five State of Origin players to back up as they hunt for their 12th victory of the season that could see them jump to the top of the table.
The two sides have played once this season already with the Storm claiming a convincing 42-20 victory in Walsh’s debut on ANZAC Day.
TAB odds:
Warriors $5.05 Storm $1.16
Warriors: 1-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (C), 2-Marcelo Montoya, 3-Euan Aitken, 4-Rocco Berry, 5-Edward Kosi, 6-Kodi Nikorima, 7-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 10-Lesson Ah Mau, 9-Wayde Egan, 17-Ben Murdoch-Masila, 11-Bayley Sironen, 12-Tohu Harris, 13-Josh Curran
Interchange: 14-Jack Murchie, 15-Kane Evans, 16-Bunty Afoa, 18-Jazz Tevaga, 21-Ken Maumalo, 23-Addin Fonua-Blake
Storm: 1-Nicho Hynes, 2-Josh Addo-Carr, 3-Reimis Smith, 4-Justin Olam, 18-Dean Ieremia, 6-Cameron Munster, 7-Jahrome Hughes, 8-Jesse Bromwich (c), 9-Brandon Smith, 15-Tui Kamikamica, 12-Felise Kaufusi, 19-Tom Eisenhuth, 13-Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14-Harry Grant, 17-Aaron Pene, 21-Chis Lewis, 22-Trent Loiero, 20-Marion Seve, 24-Jordan Grant
Pre-match banter:
Shaun Johnson is openly touting his services to other NRL clubs, following his decisive field goal to hand Cronulla Sharks a 19-18 victory over Penrith Panthers on Friday.
Former NZ Warriors halfback Johnson, 30, is one of several high-profile Sharks players to be told he won’t be needed at Cronulla in 2022, as the team look to rebuild under new coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
But that didn’t stop the Kiwis international from playing the hero in the Sharks’ victory, slotting a last-gasp field goal to condemn the Panthers to back-to-back defeats.