Melbourne are preparing for Latrell Mitchell to try and crash their Craig Bellamy 500-game party with the South Sydney superstar returning to the NRL from suspension on Thursday night.
Bellamy will mark the rare NRL coaching milestone at AAMI Park with his team aiming to celebrate with back-to-back wins to start the season.
While the Storm have playmaker Cameron Munster and hooker Harry Grant making a timely return from suspension, Mitchell is a key addition for the Rabbitohs.
The 24-year-old was suspended for six games for his high hit on Roosters centre Joey Manu late last season but the inclusion of representative games in his ban means he's available for the Melbourne match.
Munster, himself looking to make amends for missing game one as penalty for his post-season party antics, is expecting Mitchell to provide a spark for Souths.
"He will bring a lot of energy and aggression, he's going to be a force, especially being his first game back from last year, and he's going to want to make a point," the five-eighth said.
"Being a big occasion for ourselves, I'm sure he's going to want to come and crash the party and we need to make sure we do everything we can to not give him that energy."
Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen said that without Mitchell the 2021 grand finalists weren't at their attacking best, suffering a surprise 11-4 opening round loss to Brisbane.
"Latrell's probably their most influential player and you could tell that they missed him," Papenhuyzen said.
"He will be hungry as well so it's a big in for them and we're going to have to focus a lot on him.
"Between him and Cody (Walker), that's where a lot of their attack goes and I'm sure they will be pumped up after losing in round one.
"There's no better way to respond than to come to Melbourne and try to stick it to us so we're looking forward to the battle."
