Why I don't want Melbourne Storm to win in 2013

Now that NEWS have sold the Storm and withdrawn to an extent from the administration of the game the Storm can be seen as another competitor in the game. I wish them well but, most of all I hope their fan base remains if they do start to loose. It would be good to see junior rugby league grow in Vic. To Mr Coverage, I don't expect the average person in Melbourne to ever go to an NRL game and this is why I thought that it was a bad idea to take the license of the Western Reds in Perth and give it to a Melbourne franchise that's owners had a clear conflict of interest with the good of the game. Though it would appear the Storm franchise has been a success the cost has been huge, if the franchise had been left in Perth and given the resources with the on field success of the Storm I would have expect to see a far stronger club as their is a foundation of rugby League to build from. All I am saying is that for the same cost of 1 fan in Melbourne you could get several fans in many other parts of the country where rugby League is their preferred sport but, they have had their team taken away from them or they have not had a license granted to them. I have been to 3 AFL matches this year at the SCG simply because it is much better live than on TV and they do a great job entertaining the kids pre-match which they love. Good luck Storm in keeping your fans and growing your juniors or you will be dead in 5 years which would be a shame for many reasons i.e the massive waste of rugby League resources poored into Melbourne, the fact that the people of Melbourne will no longer get to enjoy this great game etc. Previously with NEWS involved Melbourne's existence was clearly a concern to the health and greater good of the game but, now I hope they can push on to build a real club not just a franchise.

STORM WERE CHEATS ATLEAST BULLDOGS GOT CAUGHT BEFORE SEASON ENDED STORM WENT TO MAKE 4 GF IN A ROW A MILE OVER THE CAP THEN GOT CAUGHT STORM WERE CHEATS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME

After watching the start of this season I can tell you the latest Storm cheat. Whenever a team threatens them in their half and gets their defence in disarray they instantly give away a penalty and then argue the point with the ref, giving them time to set their defensive line. One of their many little rule benders.

For what its worth as a Melbourne Storm supporter in Melbourne most people who follow sport will talk to me about the storm games. They know the players and are proud to have a premiership winning team in their home town. Sure they might not be members or go to matches but the same goes for many of the supporters up north. I grew up in Sydney and can count on one hand how many people were members or went regularly to games yet most had a team they'd follow and watch Friday night and Sunday arvo fta coverages on the tv Just wondering how many of the baggers watch or go to AFL matches up north?....probably not many. So why would you expect the avg Melbourne local to forget their preferred sport and go to an NRL game? It's not exactly cheap to support a team. Besides its well documented that AFL is not the greatest to watch on tv whereas NRL is practically made for it. I can't watch AFL on.tv but going to a game u see more structure and get a feel for the plays involved...so naturally more ppl will go to see it live. To answer the original question... yes I do want to see an era of storm domination. What supporter wouldn't? And after tonight win against the Bunnies we're one game closer ;-)... GO STORM!

You tell me to get a life but you seem to respond to my comments rather quickly, have you got nothing better to do. Also, I don't get on internet sites and comment on subjects I know nothing about. In your own words, 'get a life'. The Storm have been caught several times cheating and several new rules have been add to stop them. The Grapple tackle, the Chicken Wing, The Cannon Ball. Then there is the fact that they twist players heads and legs in tackles to purposely cause injury. I'm not the only one, everybody knows they cheat, just ask anybody that actually knows what they are talking about. They are constantly looking for ways to bend and break the rules and Craig Bellamy is a disgrace. He believes that winning at all cost is acceptable, even if it means cheating, that's the legacy he will leave behind. Your problem is that you think I call the Storm cheats because they are successful. Take a look at Manly. I, like many non-Manly fans hate Manly because that is how it is in Rugby League. They're the team everybody loves to hate, you're either a Manly fan and you love them or your not and you hate them but I still respect them. Manly have been just a successful as the Storm over the same period and they did it without cheating on the field and without cheating the salary cap. They didn't have the three best players in the game in Smith, Slater and Cronk, they didn't need to buy their players loyalty by cheating the salary cap and the didn't have to resort to training their team to use dirty tactics and cheat to win games. In fact, If you count the salary cap scandal and the fact that the Storm where stripped of their titles, Manly have been more successful then the Storm. So why do I call the Storm cheaters and not Manly. It's because the Storm are cheaters and Bellamy is a grub. When Smith, Slater and Cronk retire he will never have success in the NRL again. I hate Manly but I respect them for their success. I often tell people if you want to build a good, strong, successful club look at how Manly have done it. They've developed within, kept the same player base and built a strong side, much like what the Broncos are doing now with their side. They went through a down period but came out the other side as the most successful club in the last decade and unlike the Storm, they didn't do it by cheating. Your problem is that you are commenting on a subject you don't know anything about. The Storm are cheaters, everybody knows it, I'm not the only one who says it. Smith and Bellamy are constantly having to defend their dirty tactics or the NRL has to change or upgrade the rules because of the Storm. The facts are in my favour, I am right you are wrong, period.

AS I said.... get a life man !! Seems the greats of the game that commentate don't agree with you either,as they don't carry on like you seem to thrive on. Wayne Bennett is obviously a good coach, but you also have to have good cattle on the park to implement your plans, so this is wehre Bellamy is better ( he turns ordinary players into good players ) the simple answer to your statements is ... if they are using widespread cheating tactics.... ban all the so-called cheating tactics ( this has only happened in one case ) & that is confusing ! Even all your compatriots up north don't agree with you -- there is no widespread name calling ( as is coming from you ) We all hate Collingwood down here ( but we respect their class & professionalism ) so just get over your obsession & enjoy the game until your team gets it's turn ( the worm always turns )

danny4178, you are an AFL supporter and clearly have no idea and no knowledge of the subject you are commenting on. Let's look at a couple of weeks ago in the Storm vs Bulldogs game. Slater is trained to kick his leg out on purpose to stop the opposition form getting close and tackling him as soon as he touch's the ground, the Storm's excuse that you can't tackle a player in the air doesn't hold any weight unless you believe Klimmer was trying to tackle Slater's foot with his face. Then last week against the Broncos, Norri holds Thaiday in the scrum opening up a gap in defence and Slater runs right through to score. Slater didn't just happen to run through that gap by accident, that was a set move, planned and worked on at training. There is also a play they like to use where they get a decoy runner to stop in the defensive line as they shift the ball wide, this stops the defense from quickly shifting with that play and opens up space on the out side. There is also the illegal tackles the Storm have created and introduced to the game. The Graple Tackle, The Chicken Wing and so forth. While other teams train to use Rugby League tactics, The Storm train to cheat. A former Storm player blew the whistle on them saying that they train to use cheating tactics. The fact is, the evidence supports my opinion. Other teams have been successfull over the years, St George, Manly, Broncos, Bulldogs but no team has caused as much controversy and created as much hatred then the Storm. Even Manly, the team everybody loves to hate, who have been arguably just as successful over the same period as the Storm don't create as much negative criticism as The Storm, why? Because they don't cheat. Every team has a player who will cheat every now and then but the Storm do it as a team because they are trained to do it by Bellamy who is a grub. He is not a genius. Wayne Bennett is a great coach who brings out the best in his players, Bellamy is a grub who teach's his players to win at all costs even if it means cheating. Your problem is that you are an AFL supporter and clear don't know enough about the game of rugby league. Maybe you should stick to following AFL and not comment on subjects you clearly don't know anything about.

To PJC ------You are obviously bitter & twisted about Storm mate -- I'm an AFL supporter ( St.KIlda ) so I'm looooong suffering waiting for a premiership, but I don't get all bitter about the better AFL sides. Success will come one day, & I give credit where it is due ! The Storm are great at taking unknown,unwanted players and turning them into good players, who play to their FULL potential. That is where Bellamy is a genius. They are all very loyal, & love living in Melbourne. Of course, you with your twisted mind will find fault with my comments, and look for some bad conutations,instead of supporting a side and saying the better side won. When the day comes for Storm's dominance to end, their supporters will look forward to better times again, and the era that was created by these players WILL raise the bar for the next generation ---- so my message to "PJC" is " "GET A LIFE MAN"

As soon as Slater, Smith and Cronk retire the Storms success will fall away faster than the Australian cricket team. The real reason they are so consistantly successful is because the they've gotten so good at cheating on field. All teams have players that, in the heat of the moment, will cheat every now and then but the Storm have made cheating a team tactic. Craig Bellamy, as a coach, is a grub and the Storm are a disgrace to the game. They are not raising the bar, they are lowering it because teams have to lower themselves to the Storms disgraceful standards to remain competitive. The Storm have introduced all the dirty tactics into the modern day game and they still continue to push the bar lower with their disgraceful displays. They are tought to cheat as a team and have made the NRL a joke proving that cheaters do prosper in the game of Rugby League.

Ok mate, it's a draw ! Anyway, as long as football continues,& Australia kick ass, we all win !

As we have now all had our fun I should state my point, that is that my issue is not against Melbourne but it's owners who keep the storm alive down in Melb for their interests not that of the game. The people of Melbourne are the one's who r not bored but just do not care about League, as their stagnate membership and crowd attendance shows after 15 years enough is enough, it would b great to c league their the sacrifice is to high. The real point of that stat danny is not to draw a competitive comparison between the codes but to show comparative examples i.e Collingwood got over 25k to their last wooden spoon home match, they get a min of 70k to 4 e.g's given when they r successful, if we compare Parra if they had even a little of the success of Melb then u must b able to c the huge opportunities for growth that have and r just not happening for Melb, there r other clubs & areas that have enormous potential, however there has been an anchor holding league down. It has not burdened the AFL (yes am jealous) and that is NEWS. AFL crowd attendance has grown by almost 20% since 95 League has increased 3% and why because a corporation was looking after its own interests (like they do despite going to far) but now they r out of the central admin. their legacy lives on of weeknight games (not good for families, the clubs just good 4 TV), Melb despite winning the GF last year are no where near being financially stable receiving $26m over 5 yrs (money better spent as discussed earlier in Perth that would give a greater return to fans) and of course QLD who if it were not for NEWS (majority shareholder of Bronco's) would have at least one if not several more teams. During this golden age of the storm as we envy the AFL blessed with administration that is not corrupt or greedy to the point of breaking the law whilst controlling the game, the game has remained strong. As NEWS r finally being pushed out of the key decision making spots, clubs now get greater funding without having a war with the NEWS controlled NRL. NEWS managed to lock in League's sacrifices to TV before going but after this deal the NEWS legacy of self interest will b gone & unless the storm can excite their fans with their tremendous success which they r currently failing at they will go with it (perhaps that is a shame as they now have a side in the SG ball but to get rid of NEWS it is a necessary cost.

Melbourne Demons got the wooden spoon in 2012 season ..... last home game at the MCG there were 18,450 there --- BUT, look up the attendence for the WHOLE season ---6,182,320 that tells you something -- but I'm sure you'll find some reason to discount it ? I'm not knocking your game mate, I just like AFL more than league, so don't bring AFL vs NFL into it ( you'll never win on attendence ) even your best radio callers admit AFL have the numbers. As far as people going to jail, does that prove anything ? Maybe money talks eh ?

Well lets look at what Danny has to say: "AS for cheating… you don’t obviously want to think back too far do you — bulldogs come to mind" if that were the case then why in the statement he is discussing is this present "By the way 2 bulldogs club administrators went to jail over what they did, nobody in the Melbourne corporate administration was even charged due to the fantastic work of the lawyers from NEWS corp who forced the Vic police to throw the case out". So Danny does not read and some might say does not know what he is talking about as the point of sighting Melbourne crowds was to say show me a team with the success that Melbourne have had with such poor attendance. Before u comment in future Danny perhaps u should read and understand what u r commenting about as this clearly went over your head.

If AFL crowds r so big and loyal, please find me the AFL teams who got the wooden spoon and had 45,500 fans attend their last home match as Parramatta did last year? This is a clear demonstration of potential and it is that potential that is wasted on Melbourne. Any other team could do so much more with the success and resources that Melbourne have had.

So what if we only have 10,000, they started a Rugby team in the AFL state, but the supporters are mad about them. Perth has 14,000 because Rugby is an established sport there, who are you to say we don't deserve a Rugby side? The loyalty that the players, coaches and supporters shadows that of any other team in the NRL, and Im sensing a bit of jealousy, and am guessing your a bulldogs supporter whose still hurt from the loss last year. Just accept that Melbourne has a team, that is a well oiled machine, its not the numbers of members and supporters but the passion of the members and supporters, and Storm have that in Aces baby!

Im a huge Storm supporter, and I agree with RedBur, mostly. I would hate to see Storm trounce the competition season after season, with no real fight, but! If Storm could play hard and go through the seasons with close matches and lost matches, and not a monotonous run of victories, that would be appealing to me (as a Storm supporter) however, what of it if Melbourne did win 6 or 7 premierships in a row, the best team wins, and if that happens to be the same team over and over again, then obviously they would be the best team. Besides, If Broncos were winning non stop, Im sure you'd be singing a different song.

But the thing is, 10,000 to an NRL game is roughly above average haha. If you want to see big crowds in Australian sport which don't involve finals or state versus state, refer to any one of: Collingwood v Carlton Collingwood v Essendon Essendon v Carlton Collingwood v Geelong Collingwood v Hawthorn Geelong v Hawthorn All AFL and all in Melbourne and all usually 70,000 crowds minimum. When the the NRLstarts getting somewhere near near 50,000 let alone 70,000 as the norm, then I will concur that 10k is toolow. Butuntilthen, the Storm seem to be doing as well as most other clubs as far as crowd attendances go.

Hahahaha I hope you were being sarcastic. Either way that was gold, made my night.