One mistake the Storm big men will not be making

The Melbourne Storm are the most professional outfit in the NRL.

Craig Bellamy has them disciplined both on and off the field better than any other coach in the game.

Don't get me wrong, they push the limits, they exploit the rules, and they're arguably the game's most reviled side, but they are oh so damn good at it.

They will make mistakes in Grand Final week. There will be knock-ons and forward passes on Sunday evening, but after this past Saturday night's goings-on, there is one mistake the Storm will not be making.

They won't be calling out Jason Taumalolo.

The Cowboys megastar was not called out as such last weekend by fellow Kiwi big man Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, but the Roosters prop was very vocal in saying he'd take care of it.

Try as he might, he, like literally every other forward in our great game right now, failed in a big way.

Simply put, the Cowboys number 13 is head and shoulders above each and every other forward in our game right now. You can't stop him, you simply have to try and limit the damage he causes.

Against the Sharks, he scored what turned out to be the match winner. He made over 200 metres, the majority coming as the clock wound down.

These were not easy metres early in the game against a depleted forward pack. These were tired metres made up the middle against the likes of Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita.

The Sharks didn't call him out, or lay down a challenge, but there was plenty made in the media about the Taumalolo vs Gallen clash. The question was, had Taumalolo eclipsed the Shark's legend as the game's premier number 13?

I was vocal in my naming of Paul Gallen as the best ever Shark recently, something I stand by, but right now, there is no argument. Taumalolo is THE man.

Step forward 192 cm tall, 116 kilo, super experienced wrecking ball JWH. Surely if anyone in the game could stop the rampaging Taumalolo, it was the Roosters enforcer.

Although JWH put in the hard yards making over 40 tackles, he managed to only record 68 running metres. Fellow prop Dylan Napa chimed in for just 57. Isaac Lui had a blinder and made 115 metres.

Total made by the three starting middlemen for the tri-colours: 240 metres.

Jason Taumalolo made 256 metres by himself.

Those numbers are scary, especially considering he only made 21 runs.

The speed in which he plays the ball after attracting three or four defenders is frightening. Almost unstoppable.

If the Storm are to win this game, they HAVE to find a way to keep Taumalolo quiet.

The Sharks couldn't do it. The Roosters couldn't do it. Given that he's averaging over 200 metres per game, no one has really been able to do it.

His worst effort, repeat his WORST effort in 2017 was 'just' 116 metres in round nine.

The Storm have the big men to stop him, or come as close as anyone possibly could, but they'll certainly be doing so on the field next Sunday and not in the media beforehand.

Just quietly, how mouth-watering is the Bromwich/Taumalolo clash?

Phwoar!!! That should sell 40,000 tickets on its own.