Crocker laments wasted opportunities

Departing Melbourne backrower Michael Crocker finally admitted what the rest of the rugby league world was already thinking - the Storm juggernaut has underachieved. “Yeah probably, but it’s not something you’re going to dwell on,” Crocker said.

The Storm have been the benchmark of the NRL since the beginning of the 2006 season - three years of dominance in which no team has come close to the purple machine in terms of consistency and brilliance.

Three straight minor premierships, three straight grand finals.

But last night’s 40-0 loss to Manly left them with just one premiership to show for for all that dominance.

“You’re still proud of the fact you made those three grand finals,” Crocker said.

“You’ve just got to learn from your mistakes and come back and hopefully be hungrier again next year.”

Prop Brett White defended the Storm’s inability to go all the way both this year and in 2006, claiming the achievement in just getting to the final game of the year should not be underestimated.

“I don’t think it’s an underachievement, there’s 14 sides that weren’t there yesterday and last year,” White said.

“You look at the comp and six eight weeks out from the finals there was a half a dozen teams that could have won it.

“It’s not easy to dominate.”

The Storm though are confident they can regroup to again challenge in 2009.

Attempting to complete the rebound is something Crocker is all too familiar with, last night’s defeat his fourth in five deciders, three of them with the Sydney Roosters.

But the 28-year-old won’t get an opportunity to satisfy his thirst this time around, the rugged backrower set to join English side Hull next season.

It’s for that reason Crocker was keen to reminisce on happier times today.

“(Storm coach Craig Bellamy) wanted us to focus on celebrating what we had done this year and the last three years more so than sulking over last night,” Crocker said.

“(Last night was) obviously disappointing but there’s always a winner and a loser and it’s just unfortunate that it was us.

“It was a very miserable second half for us, (it’s tough) to put into words the feeling you get out there with a scoreline like that.”

After drowning their sorrows in Sydney last night and this morning, the Storm’s players arrived home in Melbourne this afternoon and attended a fan day at their Princes Park base.

More than 200 fans braved the cold and intermittent rain to show their support - many having made the trip to Sydney for last night’s defeat.

Bellamy promised the Storm would bounce back from the heaviest loss in an NRL grand final.

“It hurt, it’s still hurting, and it’ll hurt for a while,” Bellamy said.

“It’ll make us more determined to come back better next year.”

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