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Joined July 2021
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Kane pressed competently enough under Pochettino, but we weren’t a pressing team under Jose or Conte. It was the managers tactics rather than Harry Kane’s “laziness”.
As for getting found out in Europe, he broke Rooney’s England goalscoring record (in 39 fewer games), and has scored 21 goals in 32 Champions League games. Found out? Really?
Can Postecoglou make an impact on the Premier League?
Honestly, this season feels different enough to previous that I’d hesitate to put the line through most teams at this stage. Literally every single team (imo) has shown enough vulnerability that I could see them being beaten comfortably by whichever side puts some form together at the right time.
What are the KPIs for a premiership-winning team? It adds up to only four clubs a hope of winning 2023 NRL title
Very surprised at Walsh over Ponga initially, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Both have risks, Ponga with his concussion issues, Walsh with his errors.
However if I’m Slater, I know that there is nothing I can do about Ponga’s situation other than cross my fingers and hope, whereas he’d back himself to bring out the best in Walsh, just like he did in developing his own game from error prone excitement machine to the most well rounded fullback in the game.
Consider the standard he’s brought out in the fullbacks he has either mentored or coached. Inglis, Munster, Widdop, Papenhuyzen, Hughes, Hynes. We’ll see how much work he can get into Walsh before game 1, but long term it is probably the right choice.
Both coaches taking major gambles with rookies who can be match-winners but also make costly blunders
A very good starting 13 on paper, but with a lot of questions over form and fitness. QLD have named a much stronger bench imo
NSW Origin I team: Hynes, Pangai, Young to debut, Turbo, Frizell, Foxx back but duo ruled out in new-look side
True enough. I guess now that there are genuine options we will see if the policy continues, and how effective it is.
Blues blunders: The selection mistakes NSW keep making at Origin time to the delight of the Maroons
NSWelshmen really don’t understand the pick and stick. You don’t get handed a QLD jersey and then get to keep it no matter what! It means if you get picked in the side and preform well, you keep your spot, even if your club form is ordinary, until such time as your rep form tails off. The most obvious example is Dane Gagai.
It also means younger players will keep getting picked if their first few performances are a bit quiet, as long as they get stuck in.
It’s still a rep team, not a social club, and tactical decisions come into it as well. Shillington and Harrison were replaced by DCE and Papali’i, not exactly like for like, and it worked out pretty well!
There also has to be some regeneration to the squad if you want to win say, 11 out of 12 series in a row…
So pick and stick is an important part of the strategy, maybe the most important part, but it has to be balanced with tactics and future proofing the squad.
Blues blunders: The selection mistakes NSW keep making at Origin time to the delight of the Maroons
Dallas Johnson lost his place in the QLD side when he moved to France, Ashley Harrison retired from first grade 12 months after his last Origin….
Blues blunders: The selection mistakes NSW keep making at Origin time to the delight of the Maroons
Surely the Sims call is a little premature? Injured most of the preseason and rushed back into the side to cover injuries. Barely had enough time to wash the Dragons stink off him lol.
Which players should your team stop persisting with?
To be honest I don’t see an issue with golden point as is. However, I think a better change would be to give each team 1 point at the end of 80min, then let golden point decide who gets a bonus point on top. That way both teams have nothing to lose and everything to gain in extra time, so no point playing too conservatively????
Changing NRL points system worth a try because current ladder format is flawed
If anything, the 12 years since the salary cap scandal have shown that their record would likely be a couple of legitimate premierships better than it currently is! We’ve yet to see them win a premiership without Cam Smith, but they’ve won without Slater, Inglis and Cronk. They have certainly proved they can find/develop a replacement for players leaving. For instance if Cronk left at that time maybe Maloney stays haha
Storm aura slipping: Lifting depleted side into title contention would rank among Bellamy’s top achievements
Considering his breakout year was 2021, he definitely won’t have second-year syndrome! 😂
'He's in for an incredible season': No second-year syndrome as Hynes helps break drought for Indigenous All-Stars
It’s only been fairly recently that Melbourne have had such a dominant forward pack. Early in Bellamy’s tenure his pack was built around workhorses and journeyman to match the opposition in the forwards and let their dominant spine decide the game. Ben Cross, Clint Newton, Aiden Tolman, Bryan Norrie and Todd Lowrie have all STARTED in winning Grand Finals. You could even include the likes of Brett White and Dallas Johnson despite their rep honours.
I see the current pack as rather in the same mold, and the spine is still the best in the business if fit!
As for the bench and depth, Kamikamica, Moeroa, Eisenhuth and Pene have all done a job in the past, Loiero, Chan and McDonald are poised for a breakout year, and Howarth has huge wraps on him.
Obviously it isn’t nailed on, things have to go right… but I think it’s more likely they do then don’t.
Storm 2023 Outlook: Forecast clouded on title chances as depth gauge plummets in Melbourne
Richard Swain the most glaring omission, comfortably in the top 15 for mine. Premiership winner, NZ test incumbent and an absolute tackling machine.
Best hooker of NRL era - Smith the king but tough to separate Buderus, Luke, Cook, Farah, Koroisau, Hodgson
Damn, beat me to it!
The Wrap: Essendon and Manly debacles an opportune reminder for rugby to focus on its core values
Must have been Steven Larkham…
*Insert “Weekend at Bernie’s” GIF here*
The Wrap: Essendon and Manly debacles an opportune reminder for rugby to focus on its core values
I’m sorry, but any kind of points system is a silly idea. Is the players salary linked to their points? Then why would any player choose a Wests Tigers over a Storm? Are the salaries independent of the points? Then how will a team that can’t manage their salary cap now manage their points AND their salary in a competitive manner?
If you think clubs can stockpile players in the current system, just look at the recent Melbourne Storm version of “The one’s who got away” article. Every successful club has felt the salary cap squeeze as a consequence!
Truth is though, and despite what the general perception is, the main purpose of the salary cap is to stop clubs spending beyond their means, not to make every club get a turn at winning a premiership. The NRL is a competition, not a raffle.
Good luck Dolphins, you're gonna need it: Munster blow latest proof that NRL new boys have been set up to fail
True, but has nothing to do with your claim that Melbourne came into the game with settled combinations, which is unequivocally false.
'The right thing for the team': Bellamy mulls Munster to fullback as Storm shut out Panthers
It was Cooper Johns’ second game of the season, Nick Meaney’s third career game at 5/8th, NAS’s first game in the second row in years, Nofoaluma and Olam’s first game as a wing/centre pair, Munster’s second game at fullback since rd 1 2018…
'The right thing for the team': Bellamy mulls Munster to fullback as Storm shut out Panthers
Turbo and Latrell will certainly improve the Blues, and may well be the difference between winning and losing given the fine margins of Origin. However, I’m not sure the absolute domination of 2021 will happen again for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, there is a good chance Turbo will never play as well as he did in 21. That’s not a knock on him, but it was one of the best individual seasons of all time, and like Hayne 09 is likely his ceiling rather than his usual level. He certainly didn’t play as well early this season, and who knows how his luck with injuries will continue.
Secondly, QLD really struggled on the edges last year, caused by a combination of injuries, selections and a general lack of available talent. The emergence of Holmes at centre, and the blooding of future Origin centers Hamiso and Cobbo means we shouldn’t see Capewell shifted out from the back row (nor the likes of Michael Morgan or M’bye as in previous seasons). There are also a plethora of young backrowers coming through like Nanai, Gilbert, Luki, Loiero and Fermor. Basically QLD should be able to play Origin level talent in their preferred positions going forward.
Basically in 2021 NSW’s greatest strength was matching up against QLD’s greatest weakness. This amplified Turbo and Latrells impact in a way I don’t see happening again, even if they outpoint their opposite numbers going forward.
It's time we realise Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell carry NSW
The fact that the Panthers knocked the Storm out last year hardly disproves the two horse race theory lol
Round 9 Questions: Can anything stop two-horse race? Is top eight settled already? Can Eels upset premiers?
Ryan Papenhuyzen was kicking at 92% for the season coming into last nights game. He had an off night and it’s dropped back to 86%. Far from terrible!
Nick Meaney by comparison went even worse on the night (67% compared to Papi’s 70%) and has now kicked 50% for the season from 2 games.
NRL Power Rankings: Sinking feeling for Warriors, Titans and Raiders as Penrith power on
Adam Clydsdale, Shaun Kenny Dowell, Tuimoala Lolohea, Te Maire Martin, Mitch Moses, Trent Hodkinson, Moses M’bye, Aaron Woods, Waqa Blake, Pat Kaufusi, Kodi Nikorima, James Roberts, Jaydn Su’a, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (twice!), Blake Green, Tim Lafai, Isaac Luke, Andrew McCullough, Corey Thompson, Jake Clifford, Tom Deardon, Matt Lodge, Josh McGuire, Ken Maumalo, Tevita Pangai Junior, Jamayne Isaako….. nah, only Melbourne and Easts look outside their 30 mid season????????
NRL NEWS: Olakau'atu facing ban, Former Shark sets up GoFundMe after horror injury, Klemmer warns Lomax
Sorry I think you have this backwards! If you don’t have a “top class 6 or 7”, then it’s a sign that you DON’T have “the best development, the best coaches, the best facilities, the best processes”.
Melbourne is the prime example. Cronk, Munster, Hughes, even arguably Widdop and Hynes where not bought to the club as top halves, or even really halves at all! It was through processes and development that they became top quality 6’s and 7’s.
I find it strange that people think the competition is lopsided because it would take a million plus to prise players away from the Storm. The competition is lopsided because clubs are trying to take million dollar plus shortcuts to the Storm’s success, without putting the hard work into development that got the Storm there in the first place!
Ponga rejects Dolphins to re-sign at Knights until end of 2027, now the real hard work begins
Really it’s Munsters fault for being the oldest, highest payed and probably lowest performing of Melbourne’s spine players in 2020/2021, and that’s before his off field stuff at the end of last season. He is the one that made his resigning the lowest priority out of the 4.
Nobody at Melbourne doubts his talent, just his consistency… and 6 good weeks of footy won’t put that to bed.
NRL NEWS: Annesley angry over bias claims, Keary wowed by Walker, Anasta blames Storm for Munster dramas
Except that the players and coaching staff were cleared of any wrongdoing. So yes, it’s only right that the club celebrates the effort they put in during those years, because they (the players/coaches) earned those premierships, even if the club didn’t.
And if you can’t understand the distinction, I don’t think your opinion matters to them lol.
ANALYSIS: Storm show lack of class by celebrating stripped premierships as dynamic duo devour Eels