He said Bellamy had analysed the past two losses without dwelling on them.
“It’s like a new competition this week,” King said. “The regular season is done… So it’s almost starting fresh again … There’s something bigger to play for.”
The losers of the second-versus-third showdown will live to fight another day, while the winners enjoy a week off before hosting a preliminary final.
“Every team in that top four, they’ll be thinking the exact same thing,” King said.
“If we can scrape a win, you refresh a little bit and get set for two big games to finish the year, hopefully.
“And also, it’s a huge advantage having your home fans supporting you in your home stadium. That’s a massive advantage in a prelim.”
The Storm have a formidable record in home finals.Credit: Getty Images
King is desperate to help Melbourne go one better than last year, when they finished runners-up after losing the grand final 14-6 to Penrith.
The 30-year-old has become a permanent fixture in Bellamy’s middle-forward rotation, and his century of appearances has come inside four seasons, including 90 games in the starting side.
This season, he has played in 23 games and is averaging 94 metres and 29.4 tackles per outing.
He rarely misses games, and his blue-collar toil helps lay a platform for Melbourne’s marquee men – Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Ryan Papenhuyzen – to weave their magic.
As Bellamy put it last year: “He’s always really hard-working, tough as nails, you just know what you’re going to get from him.”
King started his NRL career at Newcastle in 2016, while he was still working in the Hunter Valley coal mines as an apprentice electrician.
Having collected the wooden spoon in each of his first two seasons, winning only one of his first 20 games, he empathised with Novocastrians after the Knights returned to last on the ladder with a final-round thrashing from Parramatta last weekend.
“It’s disappointing because we all know how passionate that the town is about their footy, and also I’ve got a lot of good mates there, so I do feel for them,” King said.
Bulldogs’ big name set for finals axing as Ciraldo switches up playmakers
Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo has pulled yet another playmaking switch by recalling halfback Toby Sexton and dropping Reed Mahoney from his bench against Melbourne.
The Bulldogs travelled to Melbourne on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s finals opener, in which Sexton will play his first NRL game in two months as a bench utility.
Canterbury players were told on Wednesday morning of the shake-up after Mahoney was originally named to wear jersey No.17 on Tuesday afternoon.
Mahoney is the man to make way as the Bulldogs continue to tinker with their playmakers, having lost the starting hooker role to Bailey Hayward a month ago.
Having been a key figure in Canterbury’s rebuild, Mahoney may have played his last game for the club given he has been given an early release to join North Queensland next season.
Sexton will join Catalans next year as well, but will come into Ciraldo’s game-day 17 having taken on dummy-half duties at NSW Cup level recently.
Reed Mahoney is facing a demotion on the eve of the finals.Credit: Getty Images
Mahoney has played a reduced role for the Bulldogs since shifting to the bench, registering an average of just 20 minutes of game time in the first four games he played after being dropped from the starting side.
Bronson Xerri’s early concussion against the Sharks last week prompted a playmaking reshuffle that moved Hayward to the halves and Mahoney into hooker for 76 minutes, but the Bulldogs attack floundered and produced just one intercept try in the 24-6 loss.
Cronulla’s dominance of possession saw Mahoney make 60 tackles but register just one running metre from dummy-half.
While neither he or Hayward are particularly renowned for their running games, Canterbury have had little running impact around the ruck since they traded starting roles – Hayward’s 23 running metres against the Roosters are the most by either hooker in the past five games.
Canterbury’s attack has been under a relentless spotlight given Lachlan Galvin’s mid-season move to the club, which saw him eventually push Sexton out of the scrumbase.
The Bulldogs have struggled for cohesion in the months since though, producing some thrilling offence in wins over Manly and the Warriors, and listless displays against the Tigers, Roosters and Sharks.
Ennis returns to Red V; Perth land recruitment coup after Howe integrity saga
Dan Walsh
Michael Ennis will rekindle his premiership-winning relationship with Shane Flanagan as Dragons assistant coach as the Perth Bears franchise locks in two key figures who will help recruit their inaugural roster.
Michael Ennis and Shane Flanagan after the Sharks’ 2016 premiership win.Credit: Getty
Ennis’s shift from Manly to St George Illawarra was confirmed on Wednesday morning, with the 2016 Sharks title-winner joining Flanagan’s staff on a one-year deal.
The former Canterbury and Cronulla skipper is viewed by many in the game as an NRL head coach of the future, and the Sea Eagles had explored a plan for him to succeed Anthony Seibold in 2027.
Ennis knocked back a 12-month offer to continue as a part-time consultant at Manly to join the Dragons as a fully-fledged assistant, having already worked in specialist roles with Canberra, Cronulla and Parramatta.
The Sea Eagles have since held talks with NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley about filling Ennis’s role as a sounding board for Seibold.
Meanwhile, Perth have secured Broncos recruitment manager Dane Campbell to build their first 30-man roster from November 1.
Perth Bears front office is falling into place around inaugural coach Mal Meninga.Credit: Stefan Gosatti
Campbell, who is highly regarded from stints with Melbourne and North Queensland, will link with the Bears after Ezra Howe’s planned move fell apart amid allegations he was plotting to raid the Titans roster while still employed by the club.
St George Illawarra pathways guru and long-time Illawarra rugby league stalwart Ian Millward will join Perth as well to lead the WA side’s junior programs.
Millward has managed the Dragons junior ranks for years and has retained close ties to ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys through racing roles in the Wollongong area.
Campbell and Millward shape as critical figures in Perth’s foundation year, given the Bears have a little more than six weeks to join the player market and begin landing key signings.
Coach Mal Meninga described Campbell and Millward as “considered and smart appointments for the Perth Bears”.
“The enormity of the task shouldn’t be underestimated,” Meninga said.
“They give me a great sense of confidence having them in our cave. In line with the Bears’ values of being forward-facing and bold, we will continue to have the very best of talent within our team.”
Meninga had pushed for Howe to lead his recruitment before a Titans investigation into their scouting boss allegedly unearthed evidence he had drawn up plans to raid the Gold Coast roster, highlighting skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and halfback Jayden Campbell as prime targets.
Perth has maintained the allegations against Howe are a matter for the Titans and NRL given he was never employed by the new franchise after tendering his Gold Coast resignation in July.
Fa’asuamaleaui – who has an option in his lucrative Titans deal to become a free agent on November 1 – and Storm star Cameron Munster have long been eyed as Perth’s marquee signings for 2027.
“We will talk to Tino’s management if he’s going to put himself on the market,” Meninga said last week on SEN Radio.
“I’d give myself a few uppercuts if I didn’t talk to them, but I will be one of many.”
Taylan May signs two-year, $1.25m extension with Wests Tigers
Michael Chammas
Off-contract centre Taylan May has agreed to a two-year, $1.25 million extension from the Wests Tigers after earlier rejecting a three-year deal worth $1.5 million.
The Tigers last week tabled a three-year extension to keep May at the club after an impressive final seven weeks of the season, notching up four tries, three try assists and six line breaks in those outings.
Taylan May has knocked back the Tigers’ first offer.Credit: Getty Images
After May knocked back that offer, the Tigers agreed to reduce the duration of the term but increase the value per season to around $600,000.
May was given an NRL lifeline by the Tigers this year after he parted ways with the Panthers last year. He was given a $1200-a-week train-and-trial deal at the Wests Tigers and earned another $21,000 in match payments ($3000 per NRL game).
His contract with the Panthers was worth around $650,000 per season before he reached a settlement with the club following an attempt to terminate his contract.
South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has always held a high opinion of May’s ability and had him tour the Rabbitohs’ facility earlier in the year before he decided to join brother Terrell at the Tigers.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity the Tigers have provided me and the belief and faith that Benji and the coaching staff have shown in me,” May said in a statement released by the Tigers.
“I’ve been able to live out a dream to play in the NRL alongside my brother, it’s something that we’ll both remember for the rest of our lives. I’m excited for that to continue and remain part of this group.”
Hammer bashes Raiders but knee injury could jeopardise Test hopes
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow suffered a knee injury after starring as the Dolphins gave retiring veteran Mark Nicholls a perfect farewell to lock in their best NRL season with a 62-24 win over an under-strength Canberra.
Tabuai-Fidow, playing centre, started the match four tries behind Sydney Roosters whiz Mark Nawaqanitawase (23) on the NRL season leading try-scoring list.
The man known as the “Hammer” got to 22 before leaving the field in the second half with a suspected medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury which may have implications for the post-season international Tests.
The Dolphins claimed ninth position on the ladder with the final-round victory at Redcliffe, their highest-placed finish in three seasons in the NRL.
Their 12 wins were the most they had achieved in a season and they finished the year with 721 points scored, the best of any team in the NRL. The 62 points scored on Sunday was also their best ever.
Nicholls scored with his first touch off the bench and the popular prop converted his own try in a moment to savour in his 194th and final game.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow goes over for a try.Credit: Getty Images
The Raiders rested 11 of their top squad and gave NRL debuts to outside backs Manaia Waitere, Kane Anderson and Michael Asomua along with back-rower Joe Roddy.
Asomua, a brute of a winger, scored on debut while Roddy notched a second-half double.
Warhorse Corey Horsburgh captained Canberra for the first time while, in good news ahead of the finals, back-rower Matt Nicholson returned from a syndesmosis injury for his first NRL match since round 10.
The minor premiers have their sights on Brisbane in Canberra in next Sunday’s qualifying final with the result of the match against the Dolphins immaterial to them.
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The Dolphins will look back on this year as an opportunity lost after getting as high as sixth after round 15 before three consecutive losses, to Sydney Roosters, Brisbane and Manly, scuppered their chances.
The rise and continued development of fullback Trai Fuller, winger Tevita Naufahu, utility Kurt Donoghoe and back-rowers Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Oryn Keeley have been highlights after a well-documented injury-ravaged season.
The addition next year of Brisbane outside back Selwyn Cobbo and St Helens forward Morgan Knowles will add class. They just need to get more defensive clout.
Naufahu, who scored a double, had a blinder on Sunday. Fuller, half Isaiya Katoa and Tabuai-Fidow showcased their class as the home side took a 30-0 lead at the break.
Dolphins centre Jake Averillo also scored a double.
Raiders forward Morgan Smithies was put on report for a dangerous tackle on prop Josh Kerr.
Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako finished the season as the NRL’s leading points-scorer for the second time in three years.
Joel Gould – AAP
