It might have been a match between two of the best teams in the competition, but the Round 14 opener was tough to predict owing to the number of players out across the two sides. At the very least, the general view was there wasn’t going to be much in it
The Roosters might have been missing a Morris brother and half their forward pack among others, but it was the Storm missing their creative weapons.
No Cameron Munster, no Cameron Smith and a tough trip to play on unfamiliar territory at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a venue where the Tricolours had won nine straight to close 2019.
The Roosters have turned it into a fortress over the last 18 months, rolling the Storm there in a preliminary final last year.
Really, the Roosters were favourites for a reason, even considering their ridiculous injury toll. The performance that followed was anything but as a clinical Melbourne continued their excellent run of form, and Craig Bellamy proved once and for all just how masterful he is in the art of rugby league coaching.
But, even without injuries, the Roosters haven’t looked the same team since they last played Melbourne. That Round 8 game, possibly the game of the year, saw the Tricolours go down by two points and while they have won four of the five played since, they haven’t been all that convincing.
It’d take a brave man to write off the Roosters, given the players they have to return and the fact they have been there, done that before when it comes to finals, but as it stands today, they have now lost twice to Melbourne, and can’t possibly be considered favourites to take out the title.
That’s because the team who are favourites are the ones they played last night.
Without Munster and Smith, maybe the Storm might have gone close to winning, but they should never have been as clinical, or as polished as the end product was, particularly during the first half where they were the better team by the length of the straight and then some.
You could almost say Thursday night’s game was the proper arrival of the next generation to play for the men in purple.
Sure, they have been hanging around, but there is always the “what if they are only doing it because of Smith and Munster?” line which has followed every player to come out of Melbourne who hasn’t been a noted superstar in the last decade.
But, playing a team who are just as well-coached, just as well-drilled and still had all their creative weapons – remember, Luke Keary, James Tedesco and Jake Friend were all still on the field – the Storm barely missed a beat.
They built their performance off their defence, as the Craig Bellamy-coached team always tend to do, but it was their attack which stole the show.
With Ryley Jacks not overplaying his hand and simply doing the job required, it allowed Jahrome Hughes to take over in the number seven jersey like he never has before.
For a man who notes his best position as fullback, Hughes was quite remarkable in guiding the Storm around the park last night. On the back of a forward pack who worked extremely hard for the most part, his kicking game was excellent, while he got a try for himself, an assist and ran the ball excellently.
Ryan Papenhuyzen was excellent at the back once again, and while James Tedesco had a much-improved performance, the Melbourne custodian got one over his opposite number, while Brandon Smith grew into his role the longer the game went on.
To go from being a utility forward for a few seasons to filling in for the best hooker in the competition isn’t an easy task, but he looked to be handling it well by the end of the game.
Combine a functioning spine with a forward pack who simply rolled the middle third for much of the game, and it’s little wonder the scoreline ended up as lopsided as it did.
What may have been even more impressive was the fact Christian Welch took control of the forwards, running for almost 200 metres, while other youngsters Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui both played roles.
(Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
While the Storm now have the wood over the Roosters for this season with a pair of victories from a pair of games, it’s the little things which will win the premiership. Unforced errors and sloppy defence aren’t necessarily a hand-in-hand by-product of injuries, but the Roosters had more of that last night than they have.
That’s not to say they have been perfect with the ball in recent times though. Even in that game of the season last time against Melbourne, they made well into the double digits when it came to errors. It was more of the same last night, but it’s a trend which has been steadily getting worse while their injury crisis has deepened.
Maybe it’s that Trent Robinson’s structure requires incredible players to pull it off. Maybe it’s why they have been so unbeatable for 24 months, because injuries simply haven’t been a huge problem at Bondi.
But if they can’t work it out in a hurry, then a top-four finish will sail away from them.
And while I have already noted you’d be a brave man to write the Roosters off completely, they aren’t on the same level as the Storm this season, who have just kept rolling in the face of their own adversity, with a combined 139-point winning margin across their unbeaten streak since they last played the Roosters.
It’s worth noting that these aren’t the only two teams in the competition, but where the Storm differ from other high-performing teams like the Panthers and Eels is experience.
They have been there. They have done this. They know what it takes to win big finals games, and they have the best coach in the competition.
Thursday night’s game proved it beyond all reasonable doubt.
It proved it’s going to take something very, very special to stop the travelling superstars from Melbourne in this chaotic 2020 NRL season.
ppa19696837
Roar Rookie
I think top 4 is going to be a struggle when comparing their run to Raiders...even knights could jump them. They will struggle without Keary and new halves pairing would require some adjustment even with every other player back on deck....so could and most likely will drop some games and miss the 4. Their strategy should be to lock in the eight then give some players good rest and others more game time.... Thinking Friend and SST need a break and the roosters need to blood a back up 9. Manu hasn't missed a game either. I could imagine a very depleted team come the last round....then the 4 week campaign begins.
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
I don’t disagree that Bellamy has achieved great things, but reckon the base he started with wasn’t quite as crap as you’re all making out. Also agree that Cronk is an incredible Storm product, but don’t kid yourself – he was a passenger that could barely move in the 2018 GF. The Roosters effectively beat the Storm with 12 men… there’s some coaching smarts required to pull something like that off whether you want to admit it or not. Happy to leave it there if you’d prefer not to continue though – am assuming I’ve touched a bit of a nerve with the somewhat snide nature of that response ending with the usual nonsense about uncle Nick. You accuse me of confirmation bias, and then go on to demonstrate a hilarious level of cognitive dissonance with that one. It is always a laugh to read the nonsense about Uncle Nick when it’s coming from a club for which there was actual real evidence (rather than just jealous innuendo) that they literally kept two sets books to hide its transgressions, but whatever….
bbt
Roar Rookie
That legacy of rep players meant that Storm not only were unable to bid for players in 2002, but they also had to let Richard Swain go to remain under it. Attracting a coach and players in 2003 was looking a real challenge. Bellamy, Smith, Slater etc came to Melbourne in the hope of making a name and then moving on to an established club. News Ltd was not committed in 2003, they wanted to sell the club as they considered it a dead loss. Many in the NRL had a similar attitude.
The Swan Street Stalker
Guest
I didn’t realise we could back pedal and change the argument. I reckon you should just Wikipedia the 2013 and 2012 RoosterS squad to argue against yourself with Robbo inheriting nothing... and you could just read yourself to prove that Robbo is lucky to have a cheque book “ made the big signing of SBW. To compliment this he also brought in an aging Luke O’Donnell, Sam Moa and what had then been an underperforming Michael Jennings”. That’s a hell of a squad when you take a look. As for the 03 Storm side being a rep heavy side? Rep heavy doesn’t mean well past their used by date. There was some quality players but it’s not like the Kangaroos we’re running out in purple every week. The 2013 Roosters squad had 16 rep players... that’s out of 25 players that played for the Roosters that year. 6 more than the 2003 Storm (that’s almost half a team more Rooster rep players) Talking of Rep sides. Slater made the Innisfail rep side. Massive. Didn’t play any other rep as a jnr. Nothing. You should read his book and realise how hard he had to work just to get noticed by the Norths Devils. But of course you just assumed that he was a junior star. Slater wasn’t in the side when Bellamy rocked up (only Smith and he had only played a half a season). Slater got an opportunity to do the preseason but with no NRL contract. Craig Bellamy didn’t even know who he was. But let’s not let the truth get in the way of you’re fascinating story. Folau was brought into the Storm system at 16. A schoolboy rep? Yep. A superstar. Nope. There in 2002? Damn good effort if he was considering he debuted in 2007. Talking of debuts Inglis had his in 2005 when he was 18. All these player made their debut under Bellamy. Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen. Unless of course that master is Dallas Johnston who also got his start under Bellamy in 03. And yes... the Roosters have players debut for them. Every side does. I think your missing every point anyone is making. Bellamy has coached a core group of players who made their debuts under him who will go on to be remembered as some of the greatest players of all time. Robbo payed for one of them after he’d been coached by Bellamy his entire career so he could win a couple of premierships... Bellamy goes to Wagga Magpies and gets Brian Norris. See the difference? Now... 3 teams didn’t fold to feed the Melbourne Storm. The Storm just got the best of the scraps from failed teams (that were all pretty dreadful) because that’s where the players who needed work had been. But that’s a beautiful bow you’re drawing. Now a quarter of billon dollars sounds like an awful amount of money to get from Newscorpse. Do you have a source for that? You reckon they would have sprung for something a bit flashier than a couple of shipping containers. You reckon a well resourced rugby league team would be able to have the field chalked out? The Storm? Nope. I don’t think you realise just how little the Melbourne Storm worked with in the first decade of their existence. In fact I don’t think you know very much. Claiming the poor old Roosters have been running around with no footy boots because they’re broke compared to the very well resources system. Because the Roosters haven’t been one of the wealthiest clubs with all of Uncle Nicks dodgy ways... May I recommend you picking up Bellamys book and having a read how he managed to create that system from nothing? Anyway, I’m sure you’re the type of person that will have the final say. You will convince yourself that your right but you’re not. Best of luck. Enjoy your confirmation bias.
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
News Ltd had spent over a qtr of a billion dollars on the Storm to set them up in their developmental era. Olympic park was a dump, but they committed after the NRL settled down after the chaos of that early post Super League War era. That season in 1999 was a bit lucky, but it was a by-product of a side that was pretty heavy on rep players having been able to take their pick of the best of three collapsed sides. That legacy of rep players was still there when Bellamy came in.
bbt
Roar Rookie
There were no massive amounts of money at the Storm when Bellamy arrived. They were running on the smell of an oily rag. Their support staff were mainly part-timers, and they were basically operating out of shipping containers. News Ltd wanted to sell them ASAP but there were no buyers. Olympic Park was a dump that was unappealing to any corporate sponsors. That is why the club were easy pickings for Waldron and his cowboy mates.
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
Like I say above, the situation Robbo inherited at the Roosters is far from the rosy picture of proven stars your painting… he inherited a side ranked 13th the year prior and just had no direction. He really only made a handful of key changes, with SBW the only true big headline and took them to winning literally everything in one year. It was such a massive turnaround it gave a lot of us Easts fans whiplash. No one expected one big name recruit and a new coach to have that big an impact. But don’t kid yourself about Melbourne. In the early Storm years had plenty of big signings and the side Bellamy inherited was bloated with rep players simply due to the vast player resources that the collapse of three clubs that fed the early storm generated AND the massive amount of money News Ltd invested in it. Meanwhile, the Storm’s big name Origin group that helped the club to their 4 straight GFs were all freakish talents that were junior rep players – Inglis, Folau, Slater… they weren’t players who would never have become stars. You can make that argument for a lot of Storm players, but not those blokes. Also, for the record, Brett Finch was your half when you won your second title under Bellamy, a player that was part of the Roosters early 00s success. I have a lot of respect for Bellamy though – he’s clearly brilliant and to be that consistent over 17 seasons is crazy. If there’s one knock on him I have it’s that he sucked as NSW Origin coach… we all expected him to know how to counter Queensland given he basically coached all their players, but he just had no answers, which surprised everyone I think.
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
In terms of what both coaches inherited, if you look at it from a success standpoint Bellamy inherited a Melbourne side that had won the NRL only 3 years prior and had a core group of strong talent that included rep players like Stephen Kearney, Matt Geyer, Scott Hill, Rodney Hoe, Robbie Ross, Robbie Kearns… heck – they even signed NZ international David Kidwell from the recently crowned Roosters ’02 Premiership team! And of course future stars Slater and Smith were also in the side. So it wasn’t like he started with nothing. With that rep heavy side, he improved from from 10th to 5th in his first year. Impressive, but compare it to Robbo’s first year. Robinson inherited a Roosters side that had come 13th the year prior and hadn’t won a title since 2002. He punted Anasta and another 8-9 underperforming players, and made the big signing of SBW. To compliment this he also brought in an aging Luke O’Donnell, Sam Moa and what had then been an underperforming Michael Jennings who was copping the “most over-rated” player swipes due his big pay packet at the Panthers prior with little to show for it. In that first year with those few signings he got the treble of Minor Premiership, NRL Premiership and topped it off with the World Club Challenge. Say what you like about the Roosters signing stars, but in truth it was with only a handful of squad changes and his new approach to coaching, he took a side nowhere near the 8 to winning all of it. As for the stars that came later to the storm not being stars when they joined, I think that argument is fair for some but not others. Slater, Folau and Inglis were all junior rep players and their talent was obvious from the get go. Good on the Storm for scouting them well, but it’s not like their talent appeared from thin air – they were all natural freaks. The Roosters have done their fair share of that – plenty of the current crop and the premiership sides all got their first grade debut at the Roosters and others have played most of their careers with Easts. Just looking at a list of the players that won those comps you have Cordner, Radley, Verills, Tupou, Manu, Mitchell, Friend, Tupouniua, Collins, Aubusson – they all started with the Roosters. Meanwhile the likes of Hargreaves have played the vast majority of their career with us. I’m not knocking Bellamy by the way – just pointing out that he had access to a lot… 3 clubs folded to feed the Storm in their early years, hence their massive number of rep players in their early years. News Ltd pumped a qtr of a billion dollars into the side during the early years to ensure it would be competitive. Maybe some of their old training facilities weren’t perfect, but plenty of sides were like that – some still are (just ask Manly), but they weren’t under resourced… In any case Bellamy has also been at it all just a lot longer, which is another reason why Robbo has been impressive. 3 NRL Premierships, 4 Minor Premierships and 3 World Club Challenge titles (making the Roosters the most successful side in WCC history with 5 all up) plus a nines title just for the heck of it in that time is a staggering amount of success and that’s more than about a couple good signings. He’s built a system around it that enables that success.
bbt
Roar Rookie
As a Storm fan, my take out of the game. Hughes and Smith B stepped up. I was not a firm believer in Smith B taking over from Smith C, as I thought he was too one dimensional – this game convinced me otherwise. The Grant vs Smith B conundrum is a beauty. Since Cronk left for the Roosters, Storm have struggled with a suitable Number 7. Hughes has now shown that he is it. Although the Roosters had a huge injury toll, I didn’t consider the Storm attack, (backs) would have the firepower to get the job done. Wrong again. Our forwards would certainly hold their own, but where were the points going to come from? Comments re Bellamy’s coaching have mainly missed one important point. He will stick with a player if he sees that player is sticking to his role and putting in. He is not like some coaches who will not allow a player to grow into the role. However, he can be ruthless if someone doesn’t deliver, as the dumping of Croft just before the finals last year demonstrated. That was definitely a “courageous” decision!!!
Chris
Roar Pro
As I said, I respect Robinson's accomplishments with the Roosters. It's all well and good to drive an F1 car but you've got to be a bloody good driver. He's steered the ship phenomenally. As Swan Street pointed out below, we now take the Smith/Slater/Cronk spine for granted as an Immortal one but they were Norths Devils rookies at the time he arrived. How they've developed and matured is, in large part, due to Bellamy. Fit a system of hardworking, tough and reliable forwards around Smith, skilful and prolific outside backs for Slater and hardrunning edge forwards with a taste for tries around Cronk. No big-name signings because why would he need to? If I may use a soccer analogy, the Robinson/Roosters scenario reminds me of Pep Guardiola, the coach of Manchester City. I think he's obviously a great coach and I respect what he's done but he's had a roster of top-class proven footballers since he's arrived. Obviously I'm a little biased in this discussion but Bellamy won a comp with Smith Cronk and Slater running a team of significantly less Origin/Test players and established out and out stars. Finucane is probably the biggest name signing of an established player in Craig's 17 years. His system is, in my eyes, a more admirable coaching quality than just throwing big contracts at established stars,
The Barry
Roar Guru
Ah, ok. So it’s alright for you to hate teams but you moan about haters any time anyone criticises the Storm? Actually, no one is even criticising the Storm here and you’re still complaining about it...
The Swan Street Stalker
Guest
Smith, Slater, Cronk, Folau, Inglis and anyone else you want to add weren’t superstar players when Bellamy started coaching them. Most of them, except for maybe Folau, weren’t even really wanted by other clubs. None of them had played Origin. He didn’t start with a once in a generation Origin team. Those players never made Origin until they’d been under the full time tutelage of Bellamy for a fair few years. They were all nobodies. Most people are. A couple used to be almost somebodies but were considered nobodies again. But Bellamy has made a career off not going out and buying developed players like Robinson has had the luck of doing. That’s not a slight against Robinson. You use the tools you have or you buy the flashy tools you know will get the job done. Bellamy is a master of making sure that the tools he has can be used to win football games. They may not be flash tools but they work. I’ve lived about 2 minutes from Goschs Paddock for the last 20 years. Up until about 2010 the Storm training out of a couple shipping containers at Goschs Paddock. The rugby league team in the town of 1200 I grew up in had a better setup in the early 90s than the Storm. That’s just a fact. And let’s not talk about duplicitous... pretty sure Uncle Nick wouldn’t be letting a forensic accountant anywhere near anything he’s ever had a hand in.
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
Worth pointing out that Robinson cut his teeth coaching a bunch of nobodies at the Catalan Dragons, where they had a 40% win record, which he took to 60+% and got them to the finals. Bellamy is obviously a great coach, but the man started with what was a once in generation Queensland origin side in one club. Slater, Folau, Inglis, Cronk, Smith… it was an embarrassment of riches that makes the Roosters best rosters look pedestrian by comparison. Since getting stripped of points for using duplicitous means to keep that talent on the books, the Storm have won 2 titles but did so still with a spine that included Slater, Cronk and Smith. Has Robinson had good sides at the Roosters to win his titles? Sure. But Robinson’s first title was with a halves pairing of Maloney-Pearce, and a core team that has since moved and not looked quite so impressive at other clubs. Also, has Bellamy even coached a bunch of nobodies like Robbo has with no resources? No. He’s always been in the Storm’s very well resourced system. You can minimise Robbo’s achievements if you like, but he directly targeted the talent he wanted. What’s more, even when the Storm had that Origin stacked side they still didn’t manage what Robbo could by going back to back.
EastsFootyFan
Roar Guru
Scott, the Roosters were missing 8 players leading into the match and lost a further 3 during the course of it - including BOTH our halves. By the end of the match our missing players list included: Brett Morris, Tupou, Smith, Lam, Keary, Hargreaves, Cordner, Crichton, Aubusson, Radley, Verills. Just think about that in the context of how "under-strength" the Storm were... The Storm may have been without Cam Smith and Munster, but they replaced Cam Smith with Brandon Smith - an NZ test player and one of the best hookers going around - while Hughes just had to play good structure. Say what you like about missing a creative player like Munster, but it's not hard to win games when your opponents are missing 80% of their entire team - including all their forward muscle bar TKO. In truth, the fact that the Roosters kept a virtually full strength storm side to 24 points is astonishing.
Birthday Suit
Roar Rookie
Also Scott, ‘Maybe it’s that Trent Robinson’s structure requires incredible players to pull it off.’ looks very similar to a comment I made in the live blog last night! Though I’d assume I’m almost certainly not the first person to think that about the Roosters. Great stuff as usual mate, always look forward to your analysis.
Matt
Guest
My other thing with it is that I want to know why 6 again is called. Nit knowing frustrates me.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
OK - you got me - I hate the Storm when we lose to them. I admit it. I HATE them. Sign me up for the hate club. That goes for Manly and the Broncos as well. And I just love beating the Storm as well. I don't know what to feel about the Broncos at the moment given they are so bad - but if they beat us on Saturday I'll quickly go back to hating them again.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Concierge would be more a criticism of a fullbacks game wouldn’t it? I’ve got to admit I’ve learnt into threepeat. I’m neither way about the the term itself but it’s convenient shorthand for third successive premiership
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sorry Geoff, that calm, objective, rational assessment most definitely means you’re a “hater”
Albo
Roar Rookie
Will be an amazing effort for the Chooks to grab the threepeat now. Even if they get most of their first choice team back on the park for the finals, it is highly likely they will need to do it from outside the top 4. Rounds 17,18,19, & 20 will determine the Chooks finals chance when they play the equally desperate finals aspirants the Raiders, Knights , Sharks & Bunnies.