VENUE & TIME: Penrith Stadium, Monday 25 August, 7:00pm AEST
COVERAGE: Fox Sports
LAST TIME: Storm 30 - Panthers 20 at Olympic Park, round 6, 2007.
WALKING WOUNDED: Melbourne's Ryan Hoffman (ankle) isn't expected back until the final round. Penrith has no fresh injury concerns but is still without rookies Lachlan Coote and Wade Graham.
FORM: Penrith bounced back from the record-breaking loss to Canberra, driving another stake into the Bulldogs' season with a big win. But let's face it - the St Marys under-13s would beat up on the Dogs at present. Melbourne represents the toughest test of the lot. The Storm just keep getting the job done no matter the opposition, conditions or venue. While nobody's been looking, they have snuck their way to the top of the table.
WHO'S HOT: Dallas Johnson rarely attracts the headlines but he's the sort of players other players love playing with. He does the jobs that go unrecognised - cleaning up loose balls, making consecutive tackles, doing an extra hit-up per set. It has come at a cost, with Johnson collecting more knock-outs than Hugh Hefner. We'd tell you to look for him in action against the Panthers but he'll probably be the one buried under a pile of bodies.
WE THINK: Who cares what we think on this one. You all know you will tip the Storm regardless. And why not? Penrith will fire a few bullets but it's hard to see where they will have enough ammunition to go the full 80. The hosts will go a long way towards securing minor premiership No.3 with victory here.
Penrith: Rhys Wesser, Luke Rooney, Michael Jennings, Brad Tighe, Michael Gordon, Maurice Blair, Luke Lewis, Tony Puletua, Luke Priddis, Petero Civoniceva (c), Frank Pritchard, Trent Waterhouse, Nathan Smith.
Inter: Matthew Bell, Adam Woolnough, Frank Puletua, Paul Aiton, Masada Iosefa, Joseph Paulo (two to be omitted).
Melbourne: Billy Slater, Steve Turner, Matt Geyer, Israel Folau, Anthony Quinn, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Jeff Lima, Cam Smith [c], Brett White, Michael Crocker, Jeremy Smith, Dallas Johnson.
Inter: Aiden Tolman, Adam Blair, Sika Manu, Antonio Kaufusi.