Brad Fittler puts a line through Melbourne's premiership chances, Billy Slater tells him to be 'careful'

It's only round seven but Brad Fittler has written off the Melbourne Storm, declaring Craig Bellamy's team can't win the NRL premiership this season.

Storm legend Billy Slater clapped back at the Roosters and Panthers great, telling his co-commentator to be "careful".

The Storm lost to the Raiders 26-22 in Canberra on Friday night to slump to their fifth defeat in a row.

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Slater pointed out during Nine's coverage of the Panthers-Dolphins game on Friday night that the last time the Storm lost five consecutive games was in 2012 – a year they went on to win a premiership.

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But after consecutive losses to the Broncos, Cowboys, Panthers, Warriors and Raiders, and a performance against Canberra he described as "flimsy", Fittler reckons the Storm's premiership chances are cooked.

"Careful, careful," Slater said to Fittler, smirking.

"They can't win it from here," Fittler said.

"Just some of the defence that they're providing on the edges, and I don't know how many blokes are coming back who are outside backs.

"I know they're missing a lot of forwards.

"[Xavier] Coates is a big loss, I've gotta say.

"And they miss that punch up [the middle]. No Nelson [Asofa-Solomona], and the fact it was unannounced and so late and you couldn't go and get something bigger, then you lose Tui [Kamikamica].

"Just missing those big men going forward, and then the decision-making on the edge tonight.

"I don't think I've ever seen Melbourne quite as flimsy as that."

Bar the 2010 season, when Melbourne won the wooden spoon after getting caught cheating the salary cap, the Storm have played finals football every year in the Bellamy era, which began in 2003.

But after crashing to their fifth straight defeat in round seven, Melbourne are floundering in 14th on the ladder. They could slide to as low as 17th come the end of the round.

"They're not quite getting it done at the moment, the Melbourne Storm, and are just a little bit out of sync, individuals just missing their assignment at certain times," Slater said.

"Had an opportunity to win the game right at the death, but the Raiders were too good, and desperate themselves with a couple of losses on the trot and looking for a win back home.

"Not good for the Melbourne Storm – five [losses] in a row.

"I remember the last time we lost five in a row it was 2012, and we all know what happened at the end of that season.

So I wouldn't go too soon."

Off the top of Bellamy's post-game press conference, the legendary coach was asked how he'd sum up the performance against Canberra.

"I'm sort of sick of summing them up actually," Bellamy replied.

"We were doing a lot of good things out there tonight, but we done some things that really cost us, as well.

"Inconsistent would be the best word to describe it, I would imagine. We just can't seem to get that consistency in our attack, or in our defence either.

"The big part of last week that we wanted to really improve on was our defence close to our line. In the first two sets, they [Canberra] got close to our line and they scored tries, but then the rest of the game or the next 30 minutes, we defended well. So like I say, just that inconsistency is really a frustrating thing for me at the moment."

Melbourne, grand finalists the past two years, opened this season with wins against Parramatta and St George Illawarra, and then lost their way.

Their next test is a home game against South Sydney next Saturday night.

"We're sort of lost at the moment," Bellamy said.

"We're all scratching our heads at the moment, so we'll come together, and the next day we meet up and hopefully someone's got some ideas, and then we'll go from there."