Andrew Johns states that Melbourne Storm must ‘reinvent themselves’ as they navigate uncharted territory.

Andrew Johns has suggested that Melbourne must undergo a transformation following their fourth consecutive defeat.

The Storm reached a new low at home against the Warriors, suffering a 38-14 loss—this marks New Zealand’s largest victory over the club.

This result follows a dismal defensive display, having conceded 50 points to Penrith just a week earlier.

On Nine’s Sunday Footy Show, Brad Fittler labelled the Storm’s defensive efforts as “terrible,” while club icon Billy Slater pointed out a “lack of trust and connection” within the team.

“Both with and without the ball, their defence has seen moments where players are rushing in and missing their targets, while others are leaving their lines in an effort to do the right thing, which just adds to their discipline issues,” he remarked.

Since their grand final loss to Brisbane, the Storm have bid farewell to Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona due to retirement, and Eli Katoa has been ruled out for the entirety of the season after suffering multiple head injuries while representing Tonga.

Tui Kamikamica has also faced medical challenges since a late-March incident and hasn’t taken to the field since.

Slater, who serves as a consultant for the Storm, confirmed that Kamikamica’s return timeline remains “indefinite.”

Johns feels the Storm are “missing” Asofa-Solomona’s bench impact and are lacking forward strength overall.

The NRL legend also noted the inexperience of the team’s back-rowers, with Cooper Clarke still a teenager and Joe Chan only just settling into a regular starting role.

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Chan was on the receiving end of criticism from Craig Bellamy at halftime during the match against the Warriors and was subsequently benched.

“Their edge defence is quite inexperienced in the back-row, which is a real concern… they will need to completely reinvent themselves,” Johns noted.

According to Slater, it’s not solely about personnel changes but also about addressing “actions and attitudes.”

“The team boasts some exceptional talents in pivotal positions, yet they should be performing better than their current form,” he remarked.

Bellamy also commented after the match, signalling that changes within the club may be forthcoming.

“We may be sticking to the same strategies we have employed over the past five or six years, so perhaps a shake-up is needed,” he stated.

“The last couple of weeks have been exceedingly disappointing, so we must understand the root of these issues.”