Storm look to win without Kearns

Interim Melbourne Storm five-eighth Matt Geyer believes this week?s match-up against North Queensland at Olympic Park is the perfect chance to overcome a mounting statistic facing the club.

So far this season the Storm has failed to win games without veteran prop Robbie Kearns, dropping two crucial matches against the Bulldogs and Souths.

And with the 31-year-old former Storm captain in camp with the Blues again this week, Geyer says Melbourne must overcome the Cowboys in order to stamp out the issue before it becomes a problem.

?We have addressed that (winless record without Kearns) and raised it this week only because it is something we don?t want to become a lasting statistic,? Geyer explained.

?It could really start to become an issue and if it suddenly turns into three or four games that we haven?t won without Kearnsey, then it?s getting out of hand.

?We don?t want it playing on our minds so this weekend is a really good time to knock it on the head now so it doesn?t become a factor.?

Geyer also believes the Storm has added incentive this week given the fact that the Cowboys handed out one of the Storm?s worst defeats of the season back in round seven earlier this year.

?At the time (in round seven) the Cowboys didn?t have much form on the board but now it shows that they are a pretty good team,? the former NSW winger explained.

?We?ve got a lot of motivation this week; trying to win without Kearnsey, avenging the 20-point loss we suffered in Townsville earlier in the year and trying to win three in a row for the first time this year.

?Now is the ideal time to start building a winning sequence.?

Despite not having won more than two games in a row this year the Storm is well placed with a 9-7 record after 17 rounds - the 1999 premier has yet to be displaced from the top eight this season.

Not since 1999 has Melbourne held a winning ratio better than 50 percent after 17 rounds ? the last three years have seen the Storm just under this mark and consequently out of the top eight.

?You can attribute the difference in performance and win-loss record this year to the personnel that has come into the club,? Geyer offers.

?(Storm coach) Craig (Bellamy) has developed the culture here now and why we?re not looking too far forward it?s certainly the best we?ve been placed at this time of the season for a few years.

?The position we?re currently in has been highlighted more so by the players we?ve had out this year. I think we?ve got five or six blokes in their first season of the NRL and there?s just so many positives to take into the remainder of the season.?

After taking over as pivot from the injured Scott Hill two weeks ago, Geyer has been a standout for the Storm in recent weeks but the 27-year-old is quick to apportion praise to halfback Matt Orford.

?It?s no secret that I love being in close to the ball and you can only make do with what you?ve got,? Geyer added.

?It?s been working quite well lately, Matty (Orford) has taken on a greater role this year and I?m happy to play second-fiddle to him.

?I don?t put him (Orford) second to any other halfback in the competition over the last couple of months.?