Team for 2008

[bootsie16]

With Newton and Crossman now confirmed as playing in the UK and King, Cross, Aubusson, Shortland, Perkins and Rua missing from the 2007 squad, thought it would be interesting to see how the 2008 side looks;

1.  Billy Slater
2.  Steve Turner
3.  Will Chambers
4.  Anthony Quinn
5.  Israel Folau
6.  Greg Inglis
7.  Cooper Cronk
8.  Antonio Kaufusi
9.  Cameron Smith
10.  Brett White
11.  Ryan Hoffman
12.  Jeremy Smith
13.  Dallas Johnson

14.  Michael Crocker
15.  Matt Geyer
16.  Adam Blair
17.  Jeff Lima
18.  Sika Manu
19.  Sam Tagatese
20.  Liam Foran (can see if filling the role Aubusson did this year - Australian Schoolboy and Junior Kiwi can play 5/8, halfback or hooker if needed)
21.  Kevin Proctor (2nd rower in the N Hindmarsh mould, big wraps, Australian Schoolboy star, Junior Kiwi should fill the gap left by Newton)
22.  Aidan Tolman (Young prop, Australian Schoolboy and Junior Kangaroo, plays in a similiar way to Robbie Kearns)

Throw in one from the pack that might jump up like Lima did this year - Beau Vaughn (returning from injury), Russell Aitken, Scott Anderson.


Very good looking squad even with the loss of some quality players.  If we can keep the core squad on the park and continue to develop the young talent we should be in the top couple of teams for next year.

[storm_rhinos]

Will Chambers will slot in very nicely thanks very much, then again Greg did say he wont play all his career at 5/8th so if we do ever get in trouble he can drop into the centers and boofa take is halfs slot.

i wonder how we will handle origin period this year...we get 2 breaks dont we around then ? Still lose players to the origin camp the week before the game though, ...

I still think on paper we are the side to beat - Broncos are stuffed, Manly showed they have nothing when it counts.

I reckon for next season it will be Parra and the Warriors pushing - and maybe the cowboys IF JT is fit and they can find a foreward pack to help him out.

The rest look like making up the numbers from what I can see - though you never know with Penrith with a couple of good debutants this year and whinging Petro to boot

[nacho]

who thinks turner and quinn are in origin contention?

[storm_rhinos]

Not really - i cant see them displacing anyone and Quinns defense can be all over the place. Zappa is good but he wouldnt be anywhere near first choice winger - i think jarred hayne and hazem will be selected, Hazem for his goal kicking and great defence and Hayne as he is fast and creative.

[lotti]

Zappa did pretty well at Wing this year.

[Cronk7]

I like what I see in that squad...

Probably getting waaaay ahead of myself,but perhaps back to back premierships are more likely than first thought?

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

I like what I see in that squad...

Probably getting waaaay ahead of myself,but perhaps back to back premierships are more likely than first thought?

but will they have the same hunger???????

[mrpc]

What happened to Pale Ale?

[Cronk7]

I like what I see in that squad...

Probably getting waaaay ahead of myself,but perhaps back to back premierships are more likely than first thought?

but will they have the same hunger???????

I'd think they'd have even more,because they know what both ends of the spectrum feel like now and you would assume that they would be very keen to experience the euforia again,and quickly.

[nacho]

What happened to Pale Ale?

hes still 'fermentating'

[Thunderstruck]

*fermenting

[bootsie16]

What happened to Pale Ale?

I believe that he was on a one year contract  for 2007 and did very little last year to warrant an extension (based on game form alone).  With our tight salary cap he may get a contract extension as he would be on very little coin.  Would need to come from a long way back to push for a first grade spot but at this stage last year we all would have been saying the same thing about Lima.

The other interesting one for me is Ben Matterson.  Looked a likely type as a junior but has not been able to take a trick in the last three years with serious injury.  Was involved in a bike accident last year that put him out for the season and is slowly making progress.  Not sure what the Storm's plans are with him but if he can stay on the park and capture the junior form from 3 years ago he has the talent to be a regular player.  Hopefully for Ben and the club he can get a good run at it as he is a ripping bloke.

[Diehard_Storm]

There are a couple of risks for 2008:

1.  Depth will be further tested.  The losses of King, Newton, and Cross will hurt more so than our previous years' losses of Orford/Bell/Kearns and Hill/Kidwell/Webster/Friend.
2.  Representative season - if Melbourne gets off to a good start, expect them to be hit hard for Origin representation.  I expect Cam, Dallas, Hoffy, Crocker, Folau, Inglis will be certainties.  White, Kaufusi, Slater and Cronk are very good chances at selection.  At worst (in a good way) - we could have 10 players putting on the Maroon or the Sky blue.  Fantastic for them, horrid for our regular season campaign!
3.  Mentality.  Backing up emotionally after a premiership is the biggest challenge I think.  Applying 100% of your energies to pre-season rigours, the day in or day out grind of the 25 rounds of the NRL will be hard.  No doubt we have the right coaching staff and some level headed players, but still - it's only natural to ease off such an emotional high.  Look at the Broncos, the Tigers, the Bulldogs and the Roosters in seasons past as examples.  Premiers one year - struggling to make the 8 the next.
4.  Injuries.  See depth.  However, we have had our share of injuries in the past two seasons - Slater, Crocker, Kaufusi etc.  Fortunately, key playmakers like Cam Smith and Cooper Cronk have stayed fit bar a game here or there.  If either of these two go down for a long period, it will be so much harded to go back-to-back.
5.  Inglis.  There is a reason why Bellamy was insistent on holding Greg back from the spotlight and Origin selection in his rookie year, but not so Israel.  Greg Inglis is mega-talented, but can he handle it emotionally?  Whilst Israel appears humble and shies away from the spotlight.  Greg 'call me Clive' Inglis could be the next Anthony Mundine.  We hope not.  Keep your head down 'Clive'...

However, at the end of all the risks, we still enter the 2008 season as clear favourites, and for very sound reasons.  Best players, best coach, and the experience to win big games.

Major challenges will be the Cowboys (the fact they finished 3rd with a reserve grade forward pack and a 40 year old chain smoking 5/8th is admirable), especially with Travis Burns at 5/8.  Parramatta will also be stronger this year, as will our old adversary - the Broncos.

Go Storm!

[Thunderstruck]

Great analysis there!

[bula]

When it comes to Origin, Quinn has made the Country side the last 2 seasons so he's in the minds of selectors. I think Michael Jennings (panthers) will be a bolter among others. There will be a few changes especially after watching a young in form kangas side smash the kiwis. Turner's a good chance, depending on how Bellamy wants to play the game, he has to find players that will suit the way he wants his team to play.