'Welcome to the big leagues!' Footy's newest Hopoate fends TWO Storm players, gets pancaked by NAS
'He's tough alright!' A big hit from the Storm enforcer on Lehi Hopoate - who got straight up to play the ball!
The disgraced Melbourne Storm can use their NRL season to become the Harlem Globetrotters of rugby league and revolutionise the way the game is played, says Penrith coach Matt Elliott.
The Storm are facing a pointless season – figuratively and literally – unable to compete for the premiership as part of the massive penalties imposed on the club by the NRL for salary cap breaches.
But Elliott belives Storm coach Craig Bellamy and his star-studded team can produce a positive outcome from their dire situation by emulating basketball’s Globetrotters, who showcased brilliant new skills and techniques in exhibition matches that are now commonplace in the NBA.
“Melbourne are now in a position to do something very special for rugby league as far as what happens on the field,” Elliott told the Nine Network’s Sunday Footy Show.
“I draw an analogy to the States where they had ‘barnstorming teams’ that didn’t play in competitions for points and they changed the dynamics of how the game is played.
“The Harlem Globetrotters are one of these teams, they upped the skills and techniques because winning or losing didn’t matter to them.
“And with the talent that Melbourne have got there and the coaches they have … they can change the way the game is played forever.”
Barnstorming teams were prominent in America in the 1920s, travelling to small towns to play exhibition matches.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
'He's tough alright!' A big hit from the Storm enforcer on Lehi Hopoate - who got straight up to play the ball!
Manly can be one of the most entertaining teams in the NRL to watch, and one of the most confusing. Once again, they have…
All Ray Vaega had to do was ground the ball to win the game, but he went for glory racing down the field after…
Nathan Brown gave away a penalty after angrily reacting to a brutal tackle. He later put his side in a poor position after spilling…
Reuben Garrick's clever work in catching the ball with his foot on the touchline gave Manly great field position, with Tommy Talau going over.
Harry Grant's wild pass couldn't find his winger Will Warbrick, who was nowhere to be seen.