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The Melbourne Storm came into the competition in 1998, and made an immediate impact.
They remained undefeated at home during their first season, and then went on to capture their maiden title in 1999, a dramatic 20-18 victory over my Dragons. To rub salt into the wounds of Dragons fans everywhere, the Storm spanked them 70-10 a year later.
As a die-hard Saints fan, surely I must hate the Storm for those two events alone, or Young Tonumaipea’s try after the siren a couple of years ago that robbed us of an important win, but I just can’t hate a team as good as the Storm.
There was of course the salary cap scandal, but with no Storm to play in the finals, the Dragons romped home to the 2010 title. I still can’t bring myself to hate them, if anything I love them for their multiple sets of books and shady dealings, it opened up the premiership and delivered the Dragons a long-awaited title.
With the Dragons bumbling their way to ninth this season the finals series has been very relaxing and the games have been breathtaking, the Storm earning their title as the best modern day team by advancing straight to a preliminary final with a hard-fought win over a gallant Eels side.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The Storm have class all over the field, all-time greats in Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk and the ninth immortal in Cameron Smith, and they boast the best wing combination since Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri terrorised defences in the early 2000s.
People complain about their wrestling tactics, but the Storm were just the first team to adopt this new form of defence, and now every team does it, yet I only hear complaints about the Storm.
It’s hard to hate a team that is just so good at what they do, I just sit back and marvel at their brilliance, which has been going on for some time now.
We’ve been urged to get behind the Roosters this week, but it’s hard to barrack for the latte lovers of Bondi who have limited juniors, almost no fans and seem to think we will all suddenly fall in love with them, just because they are the last NSW team left. Sorry won’t happen.
On Friday night the Storm will advance to the decider by beating the Broncos and we will be better for it, as they deserve to take out the grand final, having been clearly the best team all year. I’d love to see them take on the Cowboys who have been fantastic to watch, I honestly expected them to bow out in week one.
So sit back and enjoy the masters plying their trade, don’t be a hater and appreciate the Storm for who they truly are: champions.
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