Stat Attack: Melbourne Storm's kick-defence woes

After five weeks of the 2018 Telstra Premiership, heavyweights Melbourne are struggling with two just wins and NRL.com Stats reveal part of the problem is a glut of handling errors from their back five.

The Storm currently have the worst kick defusal rate of any club with just 62 percent of opposition kicks being successfully negotiated.

Wingers Suliasi Vunivalu (nine errors) and Josh Addo-Carr (seven) are the main offenders, although centres Curtis Scott (seven) and Will Chambers (five) have also contributed.

The Knights (85.7%) are currently the best kick defusers, and their polished efforts under opposition attacking kicks have certainly helped in their impressive 3-2 start to the year.

The Cowboys (81.3%) are next best at defusing kicks but their back five are also dead last for backline metres gained.

The Broncos (80) and Eels (79.1%) have also been good under the high ball despite struggles elsewhere while the Sea Eagles (62.2%) and Sharks (63.9%) have struggled to defuse kicks.