The Melbourne Storm put the cleaners through the Cowboys on Thursday night and once again look somewhere near the benchmark early in 2018.
It is broken record stuff, irrespective of big threes, salary caps and News Limited; subjects that have plagued the club throughout its history.
The simple reality is that Craig Bellamy is something of a genius and the young men who play for him are committed, sacrificial and determined. There are a couple of old blokes doing okay as well.
As soon as opposition fans acknowledge that fact and begin to mimic Storm’s structures rather than disparage the most successful club we have seen since the Bulldogs and Eels of the eighties, the more chance they themselves will have of becoming premiership contenders.
Despite a struggle in the first forty, the blunt reality was that the Storm accelerated when required and as soon as they grasped the tactical methods the visitors brought to the contest, they skipped clear in the second half.
Most are convinced, yet for the doubters, it is high time to admit that until Mr Bellamy finds greener pastures or loses his mojo for coaching, the Melbourne Storm will be there or thereabouts in the near future.
At risk of taking a negative tone, heaven help Canterbury and Penrith. After two weeks of comebacks where the Panthers displayed their youthful athleticism, the match up with the Bulldogs presented a juicy contest where both teams had the opportunity to make something of a statement.
For Penrith, winning after trailing in each and every encounter would have said a great deal about their resilience and fortitude. On the other side of the ledger, the Bulldogs needed a result to ensure that their faithful had something to believe in after weak defensive efforts over the opening two rounds.
In the end it was a point’s victory to the Dogs after the better of the decisions and luck went their way throughout much of the first half. Time after time Canterbury were piggy-backed from defence and the Panthers found themselves under pressure.
Eventually the penalties and possession levelled out and the visitors had chances to take control late in the second half. The major concern for Penrith will be the difficulty they found in crossing the defensive line of a team that had leaked considerable points over the first two weeks of the NRL competition.
The Panthers possess far more attacking class than the Bulldogs and were able to show it at times, yet without improved ball control and direction in attack, they will struggle to beat the heavyweights based on their Friday night effort.
The Tigers are the most entertaining thing that has happened to the NRL for quite some time despite the fact that they seem almost incapable of scoring points.
The journey back to 1986 has been enjoyable and the 6-7 score-line with a minute remaining against the Broncos appeared to have killed off their brilliant start to the season, until Luke Brooks kicked truly and levelled things up at 7-7.
Golden point was as thrilling and gripping as it could possibly be and the first half ended with the scores still tied at seven.
The match was eventually decided in the second period by the most extraordinary and ridiculous decision in the history of golden point, with the Tigers’ markers pinged for offside play as the Broncos set up for the game-winning field goal.
Never before, have markers been onside in the depths of golden point competition, yet for some bizarre reason, the officials felt that the most ignored rule in the history of the NRL should be enforced at that precise moment to lift the Broncos to victory and shatter the dreams of the Tigers.
Quite frankly, 7-7 was a fair result.
The penalty and subsequent kick, saw the Broncos home in a game in which they failed to score a try and I struggled to accept the result.
The controversial decision ensured an invigorating victory for Wayne Bennett’s team yet did little justice to the effort that both sides launched into the contest.
Dirk Diggler
Roar Rookie
Nate Miles played Game 1 of Origin then was dropped for Glasby. George Rose was out of shape and homesick, that's why he was let go. As for players going backwards under Bellamy, how about players that left Storm and never played up to that level again ie Adam Blair, Maurice Blair, Sisa Waqa, Kevin Proctor??? Cheyse Blair who started for them last year got hurt and can't find a way to get back into their side.He would start on most other teams.
farqueue
Guest
Pretty certain dragons beat tigers in golden point a couple of years ago... Farrah called offside exactly same situation....but I'm no expert author so maybe it was a dream.
Peter
Guest
Good morning. Your first comment shows that you are not irrational. Yes, referees make mistakes. Unless you instigate NFL- style TMO review after every tackle, I'm not sure how you eliminate this.
Fraser
Guest
It doesn't sound like you have watched many Storm matches in the last two years. They are the most dynamic attacking team in the comp, and play with a completely different style and structure than other teams. They often use the width of the field to get the ball to their super quick wingers. It's much more entertaining and successful than the rest of the comp who are still stuck in second man plays and bombs to the corners.
Daniel
Guest
Keep golden point, but remove the option to take a shot at goal when awarded a penalty during extra time. Simple.
Forty Twenty
Guest
1. I don't believe that refs engineer results as there is no evidence. I do however believe that mistakes by refs have and do unfairly impact on the results of games and everything possible needs to be done to limit this unfair impact. This doesn't make me irrational.
soapit
Guest
next drop ball loses perhaps
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
You clearly haven't seen that many games in decades. I've seen the Tigers play some shockers in the last few years.
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
"Bad luck Tigers but c’mon, three tries in 3 games....." Yes, they have played the top three teams from last year and scored 3 tries. And at the same time they have conceded the grand total of two tries. In the context of the three games they have played, their attack has been no worse than their much vaunted opponents.
Bunney
Roar Rookie
The refs should call penalties in golden point. The free-for-all is ridiculous. The problem with last nights call was that it was blatantly wrong. Rochow was square, and if there was any rule broken on that play the ball, it was Offengahue not playing it straight. And I'm a Broncos fan!
The Barry
Roar Guru
In context of the refs engineering results, last night in the nine coverage at the 56 minute mark the Broncos got a penalty and kicked for touch. As they were taking the re start I heard a voice over the effects mic say “we’ve evened the set count, haven’t we?” Massive conspiracy theory I know, but I thought it was pretty clear. I mentioned it on the blog last night and Joe confirmed he heard it to. Maybe it was a producer talking about the stats or something but if it was an official it’s a huge concern.
DP Schaefer
Guest
So true EJ, disgraceful game. Painful to watch. The refereeing decision at the end was one of the most disgraceful ever made. 1) there were worse and more obvious infringements by the Broncs during the game that were let ride. Ref should be sacked over this one. 2) doubtful how much of a penalty it was anyway. HOWEVER! Tigers should never have bene in that position so NO sympathy. They butchered half a dozen winning opportunities throughout the game, AND, when you win tight games and know you are in another one, you are a goose not to take a couple if 'insurance' field goals with 15/20 to go. Tiger should have closed this game up before full time.
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Agree TB. Also during the call of the Warriors Souths game Stu was writing things like "awe bad luck Souffs" and "Souffs not in this. I'm enjoying this!". I would have expected better from a so-called Expert.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I’m all for objectivity and constructive criticism Stu but you were a constant stream of negativity last night and it follows your recent form. And it wasn’t just about the Maloney try. After the game: Might be the only game we win all season When I wrote Mbye was the form fullback of the comp: easy there big fella At halftime: They will run over us in the second half When Penrith scores their first try: Panthers back When the Dogs scored their third try and went to 14-0 Alright, cut the crap. Here come the Panthers After the Mbye try: How much have the Dogs forked out for this one? After Mbye missed a kick from the sideline: Hazem……..where are you? (But strangely no comment when he kicked one over the black dot from the touch line a few minutes later) Pre-game: Panthers should smoke this one. Still not sure where our points come from. All of these are valid comments but I’ve just gone through the blog and you didn’t make ONE single positive comment about the Bulldogs or ONE negative comment about the Panthers. If that’s your thing fine, but you can’t turn around and claim objectivity. It was anything but...
Chris
Guest
I think that try was pay back for the no try against the rooster last week when flawely cought the ball about 10m behind the player interference and no try was givin
The Barry
Roar Guru
The game could be decided by an offside or markers not square penalty in normal time and no one would bat an eyelid. I’ve never been entirely comfortable with the refs putting the whistles away in golden point...but could live with it as long as it’s the same for all teams. Likewise with this...I have no problem if the refs are refereeing in golden point...as long as it’s consistent. That’s always the problem.
P Air
Guest
The perfect reason to get rid of golden point. These refs have now set a precedence for the rest of the season. If it's not upheld then Wests should be given at least a point. What a bloody joke. A draw is a result. Both teams should walk away with 1 point each.
Peter
Guest
What a load of BS most of these comments are. Some questions: 1. Do people genuinely believe that results are engineered by referees? If so, how does this work? Why has no crusading investigative reporter produced one skerrick of evidence? I see. They are part of the conspiracy. 2. Have any of the complainers ever had a dodgy decision go in favour of their team? What, never? (Any comment will be ignored if it is followed by "Yeah, but that only squares up for what (insert team you hate) got against us in (insert I some year after 1945.) 3. You don't like penalties "deciding the game." Only if it's against your team? For a start, your team could learn to play to the rules. 4. If you don't like penalties during extra time, how about putting away the rule book? It is, after all, the root cause of all penalties. The referee would then just blow time on and off and rule on scoring. The return to the stomping jaw-breaking biting eye-gouging 50s and 60s could do wonders for viewer numbers. 5. Don't like the idea of no penalties? Well, which ones would you keep? Oh, I see. You'd only throw out the ones that go against your team, even if this has to be retrospective. 6. Best idea, in my view: scrap extratime except when it is necessary for one team to win. This is only in elimination games. A drawn SOO game is OK. In any extra time, enforce the rules in the same as during normal time. No "putting the whistle away." 7. Consider the possibility that your team lost, not because of a last-minute penalty, but because they didn't play well enough to score more points than the opposition in normal time.
Joe
Roar Rookie
I remember the Storm complained about him a couple of years ago and produced stats that whenever he reffed them as compared to every other ref they had a much higher penalty rate and a much higher losing rate. Since then I've always had my doubts about this guy.
Joe
Roar Rookie
100% agree Scott. I have no idea how people can call the way the Storm are now playing as boring with those stats. Either they're not watching the games or are thinking of the Storm from last decade. That said that 2007 side was one of the best Storm sides I've seen with GI, Billy and Folau carving up the opposition.